The state herald., 1912-04-26

VINO had to be out IN the middle OF
the Atlantic ocean In an open boat.
and II ever there was time when
such night was needed, surely It
was now, with hundreds of people,
mostly women and children, afioat
hundreds of miles from land.
The captain-stoker told US that he
had been at sea twenty-six years and
had never yet seen such calm night
on the Atlantic. AS we rowed away
from the Titanic we looked back from
time to time to watch her, and more
striking spectacle 1t was not possible
for any one to see.
Tn the distance she looked an enor-
nous length. her great bulk outlined
in black against the starry sky. every
port-hole and saloon blazing with
light. 1t was impossible to think any
thing could be wrong with such a
leviathan were 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, rs near as can remember we
observed her settling very rapidly,
with the bows and the bridge com
pletely under water. and concluded
It WAS now only 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 flickered for
of nj
came on again for single flash and
finally went out, altogether. At the
same time the machinery roared
down through the vessel with a rattle
and grooming that could be heard
for miles. the weirdest sound surely
that could be heard In the middle of
the ocean. 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 fve minutes:
others In the boat say less. but It
certainly was some minutes, while we
watched at least $50 feet OF the Titan
lie towering above the level Of the
sen 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 last
Wednesday And there was left to us
the gentle heaying sea, the boat filled
to standing room with men and won.
en- In every conceivable condition OF
dress and undress. above the perfect
sky OF brilliant stars with not n cloud,
all tempered with bitter cold that
made us all long TO he one OF the crew
who toiled away with the oars and
kept themselves warm thereby-a
curious. deadenlng bitter cold unlike
anything We had felt before
CRIES ARE UNANSWERED.
And then. with all these there
fell on the ear the most appalling
to-the cries Of hundreds Of our Eel.
low beings struggling IN the icy cold
water. crying for help with cry
that we knew could not be answered
We longed to return and pick up some
OF those swimming but this would
have meant swapping our boat and
further loss " the lives OF all OF us.
We tried 10 sing TO keep the won.
en- from hearing the cries and rowed
hard to get away from the scene Of
the wreck. hut think the memory OF
those sounds will be one of the
things the rescued will nnd u dim
cult 10 eface from memory. We are
trying hard not TO think Of II.
I'VE kept n lookout for lights and
several times II was shouted that
steamers lights were seen but they
turned out to he either High, from
another boat or star low down on
the horizon about n m we saw
faint lights showing on the sky and
all reIolced to see what we expected
was the coming dawn. but after
watching for half nm hour and seeing
no change in the Intensity of the
light, realized II was the northern
lights
Presently low down on the horizon
We saw a light. which slowly resolved
itself into double light. and We
watched eagerly 10 see II the two
lights would separate and so prove
10 be only two Of our boats or wheih.
er they would remain together. In
which case we should expect them "a
he the masthead Hight and deck
light below OF n rescuing steamer.
CHEER s'oHT OF REscuER.
"To our 10y they moved ap one and
and round We swung tho boat and
headed for her Tho st.errmnr
shouted; Now boys sing and fol
the nrst time tho bon, broke into
song With Row for the Shore. Boys.
and for the first time tears came &c
tho eyes Of ~ MI ~ We realized that
safety WINS n, hand The song wa,
sung. but Il was very poor limits
ton Of the real if"g for auRvorlne
voices MAX" ncor SONGS \ cheer wa,
given next. aud that WIS bct.--Y.o
a a..