The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1912-04-26

'ept for b bitter cold Tor any one
VINO had to be out in the middle of
ne Atlantic ocean in an open boat.
ano IL ever there was a time when
u a night was needed, surely it
was now. with hundreds of people.
mostly women and children, afoat
hundreds Of miles from land.
The captain-stoker told us that he
mad beer at sea twenty-six years and
mad never yet seen such a calm night
on the Atlantic. AS we rowed away
from the Titanic we looked back from
time to time to watch her, and a more
striking spectacle 1t was not possible |
for any n to see.
TN the distance she looked an enor- |
nous length, her great bulk outlined
In black against the starry sky, every
portfolio and saloon blazing with
light. 1t was impossible to think any
thing could be wrong with such a
leviathan we're It not for that ominous
tilt downward In the bows, where the
water was by now up to the lowest
row Of portfolios. Presently about 2
a. m, as near as l can remember, we
observed her settling very rapidly.
with the bows and the bridge SOM
pletely under water, and concluded
1t was now only a question Of minutes
before she went; and SO it proved.
She slowly tilted straight on end,
with the stern vertically upward. and
as she did the lights in the cabins and
saloons, which had not fiickered for
a moment since we left, died out.
came OF again for a single fash and
finally went out altogether. At the
same time the machinery roared
down through the vessel with a rattle
and a groaning that could be heard
for miles, the weirdest sound surely
that could be heard in the middle Of
the ocean, a thousand miles away
from land. But this was not yet quite
the end.
ITO our amazement she remained
in that upright position for a time,
which I estimated as hve minutes
others In the boat say less, but It
certainly was some minutes, while We
watched at least $50 feet Of the Titan.
ic towering above the level Of the
sea and looming back against the
sky.
"Then with a quiet slanting dive
she disappeared beneath the waters
and our eyes had looked for the last
time on the gigantic vessel We had
set out on from Southampton las
Wednesday. And there was left to us
the gentle heaving sea, the boat filled
to standing room with men and WON
en- in every conceivable condition o
dress and undress, above the perfec
sky of brilliant stars with not a cloud
all tempered with a bitter cold tina
made us all long to be one Of the crev
who toiled away with the oars an
kept themselves warm thereby
curious, d%eadening bitter cold unlik
anything we had felt before.
CRIES ARE UNANSWERED.
"And then, with all these Their
fell on the ear the most appallin
noise that human being ever listene
to-the cries of hundreds Of u fe
low beings struggling in the icy col
water. crying for help with a CT
that we knew could not be answere
We longed to return and pick up son
of those swimming. but this wou
have meant swapping our boat al
further loss of the lives Of all OF u
we tried to sing to keep the VOL
en- from hearing the cries and row
hard to get away from the scene
the wreck, but I think the memory
I those sounds will be n Of t
things the rescued will find 1t di
> cult to efface from memory. We a
trying hard not to think of It.
: "We kept a lookout for lights a
several times it was shouted tn
: steamers lights were seen, but tn
, turned out to be either a light frc
another boat or a star low down
the horizon. About 8 a. m. we 81
e faint lights showing on the sky a
all rejoiced to see what we expect
q was the coming dawn, but AFT
l. watching for half an hour and seei
d no change in the intensity Of t
g light, realized it was the northe
u lights.
presently low down on the hori2
!, We saw a light, which slowly resoly
" itself into a double light, and
. watched eagerly to e II the t
W lights would separate and 80 pre-
to be only two Of u boats or whe
er they would remain together,
X which case we should expect them
be the masthead light End a d.
le light below of a rescuing steamer.
CHEER SIGHT OF REscUER.
ITO our Joy they moved as one
1T and round we swung the boat {
lie headed for her. The steersn
lie shouted: Now. boys, sing and
the first time the boat broke I
rs song with Row for the Shore, 30
es and for the first time tears came
st the eyes of us all as We realized I
le safety was at hand. The song
to sung, but It raj a very poor i'm
re ton Of the real thing. for Quaver
h. voices make poor songs. A cheer
given next, and that was better
rs keep in tune for a cheer"