El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-05

neutral ships. they would. without
doubt. have come TO our asst stance,
as, when last seen, they were 50 close
that they could not have failed to OBJ
serve our predicamenr
AS nearly always happens in times
Of danger, when one has b2en through
the whole experience, a few deeds
stand out, among many others OF Ike
nature, as keeping with the traditions
Of our great nation.
Heroism shown.
"a sight which stirred the blood OF
all who saw-a sight which made me
proud again OF my couutrymen, was
the following;
Some Of the boats had been blown
to splinters by the explosion The
men allotted 20 these boats lined up
on desk opposite the davits In which
their boats had been. The ship was
sinking under them. and boats were
leaving as fast as they could get
away. These men remained standing
at their boat stations with never a
murmur, two deep. an example OF
courage and abneEariou. Not until the
last boats came TO be lowered could
room be found for them
Another scene will always remain
with me. A few medical officers were
standing on an-rotherwise deserted
deck IN a circle or dim light cast BY
the flame Of a candle light A boat,
all but ready 20 be lowered. hung in
mid air, fun Of men There was room
for only one more in the boat As i
came Up 20 the little group standing
there. ] overheard these words. Well,
you're married, old lad-you gOi Under
the impression that this boat was the
last one left, each OF this little band
was unwilling TO take the regaiuing
seat the expense OF his shipmate.
lost no time in telling them that a
hrrH with : nnHnnr
ready aft.
"The ship maintained an almost
even keel as she sank low er and lower
in the water This helped US enorm-
ously in the trying evolution Of
Abandoning ship, and was the main
factor Of our success in doing not
a little, not forgetting the candle
limps
latter all the other boats had been
got away. our little band. consisting
Of the captain and senior officers OF
departments, got 10 work On the one
remaining boat and put her into the
water. When all was ready, the cap
tain, with another officer. made
last hasty visit 20 make sure that all
were off the ship. il was an uncanny
experience 10 feel that one was tread
ing where no other man would ever
put foot again, and all would be out
Of mans sight for ever IN a few
minutes. There was nothing more
TO be done
Final Crash Is Tragic.
1--WE were barely $50 yards off the
ship when the end came. She listed
heavily over on her port side. amid
series Of loud cracking explosions
with the sound OF heavy objects
carried away across her decks with
tearing. rendinE crash She seemed
20 break amidships. with an almost
indescribable fury OF noise, ending in
a terrific crescendO. as the after end
plunged beneath the water. leaving
the forward part gradually sinking
in a silence which, save Tor the sound
OF water rushing into some empty
compartment. seemed funeral after
the tumult Of a moment before. This
part, too, now. almost silently, with
only the bow and feremast showing,
slowly disappeared-not, however,
without a parting word from those
she had carried through many a rough
time. before the waves hid her
Three cheers for the good old
Rena" sprang out from the throat OF
one who had known her we'll Hip
hip hOorayi Hip-hip, hOoray, hlp-hip!
hoOray" growing fainter as the cheer
was taken up by the more distant
boats"