The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-27
Continued from First Page.

not the slightest thought Of trying
TO get into n small boat. and SO OF these
proceedings ] was only al interested and
presently a Mortified spectator.
The captain was on the bridge. Prob
ably the great shock of the explosion.
perhaps the concussion. had somewhat
stunned him for a time. I remember
that the ship had literally been shcarcd
away just forward Of the bridge, 80
near to II, In fact. that the foremost
had gone down. lie was not panic
stricken. but was like a man whose
brain II dulled.
Mad Rush for Boat.
Still there was no panic. but pres
entity one of the boats touched water
and then there was a rush for IL.
This seemed to he infectious Some Of
the men slid down ropes into the tiny
craft. Some women Jumped for II and
sonc threw their children into IL. Pres
emily II was overloaded. but without
much difficulty was cast OF and fioated
free of the vessel. This was the first
boat ! saw to fioat free. although one
OF those upon the other side OF the
ship may have been the first to do no.
II then seemed certain that the vessel
would presently sink and ! called To
some one in the boa to get her to a
distance. thinking that otherwise the
suction OF the drowning vessel might
take her down with us. but no one
heard me. The crowd IN the boat was
not behaving we'll. and she vas begin
ming to oareen. | could not remove my
fascinated gaze from her. Presently
she capsized. very slowly.
! have no idea how many OF her COM
! pany were drowned. Flo a time they
f'oated. struggling. but this agony was
brief. for the water was intensely cold.
Then they began to perish one by one.
but a few were picked up by other
boats which had been lowered and had
drawn near. In the meantime gratings
had been thrown overheard In large
numbers. imagine they had been de-
signed for such an but they
were too narrow.
, More than once I saw one slowly turn
as a struggler seized its edge. Usually
the struGslcr did not again appear.
Once or twice I saw a swimmer reach
and climb pom one, only TO be upset
ere long by some one else. I saw only
one person. n woman. borne UP eff
GENTLY by one. She lay supinely on her
back. her arms and feet extended. 7
think she was unconscious az she foated
astern.
On n Of these gratings a strange
thing occurred. \ young woman de-
liberately disrobed. then plunged into
the sea.
Heartrendtng scenes.
At other boats there was a success
sion OF heartbreaking scenes. Some
women deliberately dropped children
into waiting arms. then jumped after
them. Some men endeavored to slide
down the ropes. a ticklish business. for
the boats were rolling. and often as moi
the adventurers hung between the small
boat and the ship. This meant tina,
they must be crushed.
When ! turned from these scenes "a
look again at "A boat which had cap
sized a man was seated on her upturned
keel holding a swimming woman's hand
Presently she sank. Round about were
floating bodies. II they were not dead
the chill had dulied them to uncon-
sciousness. They were strangely ami
mate in new ways. evidently due to the
wind and the current. Some rolled rap.
idly. ceaselessly. One or two hung as Il
suspended by wires caught on the SUI
face Of the sea. utterly submerged hut
strangely visible. Two Of the boats
got clear way. but came back 10 the
Sussex when their inmates saw she wak
still floating and the small boats prob.
ably would not float long.
Meanwhile the wireless had been re.
rugged. some of its stays having beer
carried away h. the explosion. I,
cracked out It's IS q s" The sky grew
overcast. A sail appeared and rockets
were sent UP, bu, the sail made not the
slightest sign that those who governed
Il had seen III. Later 7 learned that
IL was that of n w~!ndjammer which hat
been helpless. as the breeze blew, to
come TO our assistance. but had picked
up one Of the boats.
A curious thing was visible alongside
II was as IL hundreds ~ yards OF white
cloth had been unrolled and t'nat.d al
a yard beneath the surface. I do not
know what IL WAS. " may have beer
some content Of a torpedo.