The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-04-23

out and lowered a deck. When they
we're to the level of e deck, where all
the ladies were collected, the ladies
got in quietly, with the exception Of
some who refused to leave their hus-
bands; in some cases they were torn
from the mand pushed into the boats,
but in many instances they were al
lowed to remain because there was no
one to insist they should go.
Boats Lowered.
Looking over the side, one saw
boats from aft already in the water,
slipping quietly away into darkness
and presently the boats near to me
we're lowered and with much creak-
ing, as the new ropes slipped through
the pulley blocks down the seventy
five feet, which separated them from
the water. An officer in uniform came
up as one boat went down and shout
ed: When you are afoat, row round
to the companion ladder and stand by
with the other boats for orders
"'Aye, ave. came up the reply, but
1 don't think any boat was able to
obey the order. When they were
afoat the sailors saw they could do
nothing but row from the sinking ship.
No Disorder.
call this time there was no trace
of any disorder; panic or rush to the
boats and no scenes of women sobbing
historically. Every one seemed to
realize slowly that there was immin-
ent danger. When it was realized that
we might all be presently in the sea,
with nothing but our life belts to sup
port us until we were picked up by
passing steamers, it was extraordinary
how calm every one was and haW
completely self controlled.
Zone by one the boats were filed
with women and children, lowered
and rowed away into the night.
presently the word went round
among the men the men are to be put
in boats on the starboard side
81 remained on the port side and
presently heard the call:
"'Any ladies on your desk, sir?
'No, I replied, and looking down
saw boat No. 13.
"'Then you had better jump
"I dropped in and fell into the bot
tom as they cried, Lower away? AS
the boat began to descend, two ladies
were pushed hurriedly through the
crowd on B deck and hea7ed over into
the boat and baby of ten months
passed down after them. Down we
went until we we're some ten feet from
the water.
eve drifted away easily and headed
directly away from the ship. The
crew seemed to me to be mostly cooks
in white Jackets, two to an oar, with a
stoker at the tiller. The stoker who
was steering was chosen captain. He
set to work at once to get into touch
with the other boats, calling to them
and getting as close as seemed wise,
so that when the searching boats came
in the morning to look for us there
would be more chance for all to be
rescued.
cit was now about a. m., beau
tiful starlight night with no moon,
and so not very light. The sea was as
calm as pond.
CAS- we rowed away from the Ti-
tanic, we looked back from time to
time to watch her. In the distance she
looked an enormous length, her great
bulk outlined in black against the
starry sky, every port hole and saloon
blazing with light. 1t was impossible to
think anything could be wrong with
such a leviathan, were it not for that
ominous tilt downwards in the bows,
where the water was by now up to the
lowest ow of port holes. Presently,
about a. M, as near as can re-
member, we observed her settling very
rapidly. She slowly tilted straight on
end and with the stern vertically up
wards, and as she did so, the lights in
the cabins and saloons, which had not
fickered for a moment before we left,
died out, came on again for single
flash and finally went out altogether.
At the same time the machinery roar
ed down through the vessel with rat
tie and groaning that could be heard
for miles. But this was not yet quite
the end.
oI