The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-19

When it was realized that we might all
be presently in the sea with nothing
but our life belts to support US until
we were picked up by passing steamers
1t was extraordinary how calm every
one was and how completely self con-
trOlled.
One 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 1 was on the port side
and most of the men walked across the
deck to see if this was so. 1 remain
ed where L was and presently heard
the call:
Any more Iadies?' Looking over
the side of the ship, l saw the boat,
number IL, swinging level with b deck
half full of ladies. again the call was
repeated:
Any more ladies?'
Il saw none come on and then one
of the crew looked up. said, Any Ia
dies on your deck. sir?'
-" No, I replied.
a" Then you had better jump
4 dropped and fell in the bottom, a;
they cried, Lower away.
AS the boat began to descend, two
ladies were pushed hurriedly through
the crowd on b deck and heaved owe
into the boat and a baby of 10 months
passed down after them. Down We went
the crew calling to those lowering
which end to keep her level Aft,
stern both together until we were
some ten feet from the water and here
occurred the only anxious moment We
had during the whole of our expert
ence from leaving the deck to the
reaching the Carpathia.
Water Pouring In.
Immediately below our boat was
the exhaust of the condensers, a huge
stream of water pouring all the time
from the ships side Just above the
water line. 1t was plain we ought to
be a smart way from this not to be
swamped by it when we touched the
water. We had no officer aboard, nc
petty officer or member of the crew TO
take charge. So one of the stokers
shouted: Someone find the pin which
releases the boat from the ropes anG
pull it up No one knew where it was
We felt as we'll as we could on the
floor and sides but found nothing and
it was hard to move among so many
people-we had 60 or 20 on board.
Down we went and presently float
ed with our ropes still holding us, the
exhaust washing us away from the
side of the vessel and the swell of the
sea surging US back against the side
again. The resultant of all these
forces was an impetus which carried
US parallel to the ships side and di-
rectly under boat "A, which had filled
rapidly with men anc was coming
down on us in way that threatened
to submerge our boat.
Stop lowering A. our crew shout
ed, and the crew of No. IA, now only
90 feet above, shouted the same. But
the distance to the top was some 70
feet and the creaking pulleys must
have deadened all sound to those
above, for down she came-15 feet,
10 feet. 5 feet and stoker and 1
reached UP and touched her swinging
no
would have brought her on our heads
but just before she dropped another
stoker sprang to the ropes with the
knife.
his knife cut through the pulley ropes
and the next moment the exhaust
stream had carried US clear, while
boat IA dropped into the water in the
space We had the moment before oc-
cupied, our gunwales almost touching
Drifted Away.
1--WE drifted away easily as the oars
were got out, and headed directly
away from the ship. The crew seemed
to me to be mostly cooks in white jack
cts two to an oar, with a stoker at
the tiller. There was certain amount
of shouting from one end OF the poat
to the other, and discussion as to
which Wav we should go, but finally it
was decided to elect the stoker who
was steering, captain, and for all to
obey his orders. He set to work at
once to get into touch with the OtneF
boats. calling to them and getting as
close as seemed wise, so that when the
search boats came in the morning to
look for us, there would be more
chance for all to be rescued by keep
ing together.
.eTt was now about a. m; beautiful
starlight night, with no moon and not
so very light. The sea was as calm as
A pond, Just a gentle heave as the boat
1ipped up and down in the swell; an
deal night. except for the bitter cold, |
for any one who had to be out in the
middle of the Atlantic ocean in an
open boat and if ever there was time
when such a night was needed, surely |
it was now with hundreds of people. |
mostly women and children, af1oat
hundreds of miles from land.
The captain-stoker told us he had |
been at sea 26 years and had never yet |
seen such a calm night on the Atlantic |
AS we rowed away from the Titanic we |
ooked back from time to time to watch |
Ter. and a more striking spectacle t |
vas not possible for anyone to see.
In the distance she looked an enor- |
nous length, her great bulk outlined in |
Jack against the starry sky, every port
hole and saloon blazing with light. Tt
COFFEE HURTS