Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-28

sation in the playing, and the meas
ures soothed the nerves of the fright
ened passengers. Men and women
found themselves tapping foot in time
to the playing. and though all were
element. the music kept them in
check. The excitement did not burst
its leashes to turn into a wild, unreal
soning panic, not even when Capt.
Smith gave the order. to take to the
lifeboats.
declare that this was only precaution-
airy move, that scarcely would the
smaller boats put off from the mother
ship than they would be scuttling back
to her glad to nestle beneath her pro-
tecting sides. and men and women
walked leisurely, some of them laugh
ingly. to the posts whittier hurried Of
ficers and seamen directed them.
And then began the work of trans
fering from the great Titanic to her
brood Of lifeboats those persons who
afterward were to prove almost tho
only ones OF the steamships big. COM
plement who did not pay with their
lives for the privilege Of having jour-
neyed In the newest liner On her maiden
trip.
The task Of loading the lifeboats was
undertaken In almost as leisurely and
calm manner as though 1t were sim
ply drill. Many persons had still re-
t., a. wi,
room. the cafe and the smoking room.
Others were grouped near the foot Of
the grand staircase where the orches-
ira was playing lively airs. Most Of
them had gone on deck when the ships
engines stopped. They had gone below
again firmly assured that there was
nothing much the matter. 1t was cold
on deck also.
We've been in touch with several
ships" the officers assured the pas
sengers. land they are now coming to
our aid. There is no cause for worry,
anyway"
And so when Capt Smith at last, re-
luctantly gave the order to clear the
lifeboats and followed 1t with a COM
mand to his officers to load them at
once. there remained many OF the IT,
tanic's passengers still below decks.
Second Officer Lightoller had cleared
away one Of the lifeboats on the STAR
board side
There was no crowding to get into 1t.
In fact. there were scarcely enough per-
sons about to fill it. But the officers
knew, If the passengers did not, that
the danger was imminent. Stewards
were sent running through the ship
! with orders to assist every passenger
into the lifeboats and to send the
women on to the decks that they first
might be loaded into the lifeboats.
Above the strains Of the orchestra.
| above the chatter among the women
and above the voices of the men deep
in discussion Of what had happened.
| reassuring each one the other. that
there was no danger. came the shrill
| calls Of the stewards:
"All passengers on deck with life
belts on"
All women this way, All women on
! the deck!"
| from the women and a cry or two that
sounded clearly in the hush which fol-
| lowed the stewards words
Then the women were assisted to the
decks. Still they refused to be seri-
| ously frightened. 1t took fifteen to
| twenty minutes to load the boat and
| swing her from her davits down to the
| water seventy feet below. Those who
were in her waved and shouted to
those who remained on the decks. There
was no doubt in the minds Of any OF
them. except perhaps the officers, that
! the boat would be back again In a
few minutes and that those who had
embarked in her would have had their
excitement and trouble for nothing.
! Third Officer Pitman, racing to the
boat deck encountered j. Bruce Ismay.
! Hurry. there's no time for fool
ing" shouted Mr.. Ismay and Pitman
ran to the boats.
| Mr.. Ismay disappeared down the
deck. Later he returned and assisted
the officer in helping passengers into
lifeboat No. .. They helped in forty
passengers. few of them men, and
then Pitman called for more women to
fill the empty seats but none responded.
Five OF the crew were at the oars. His
work ended. Pitman stepped out of
the boat and turned away to get ready
another. As he stepped back. Chief Off
Ger Murdoch touched him on the Shout
der and briefly commanded, Get in"
From down the deck came family the