Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

The AMMAN Prince was down by the
head, 50 far the surface water washed
her hawse- holes She had not great
deal Of freeboard left naidShips either,
the seas lifting easily 70 cascade over
her fore and aft main decks. The wind
made high note IN her rigging and
whtstled round the corners OF her
houses, duttering the red curtains be-
hind what ports were open.
Everything was In confusion In the
cabins, clothes scattered. drawers pulled
out, beds hastily abandoned. Here lay
q woman's stocking trailing across
brass-shod stormstep; there was watch
dropped, the glass shattered: Q photo
graph in silver frame. the black writ
ing across 1t staring UP, TO MY Dear
William -" baby's cap on the
pillow; a diamond bracelet: fur-lined
slipper. The promenade decks
themselves were scattered with clothing
and beyond them, outside the vanished
rail, the boat falls swung empty and
the blocks above and below creaked
eerily to each sodden roll the liner
gave. Over all were the lights, the deck
head bowls of frosted glass; the bulk
head bowls Of pale blue and red; port
able clusters inside their open white
bowls hastily dashed TO stanchions TO
aid the abandonment. Harsh, cold,
strident. they all seemed. Shining over
the rails from each deck and down
upon the marble sea. slittertng maiev-
oientiy on the leeward foam and reach
Ing with the searchlight above as far
as the tossing boats. Capt. Lars Han
sen surveyed 1t all and sighed.
LIE stood on his bridge, that long,
= = narrow place that had been his
pride. He was In full uniform, the four
gold bands shining on his cuffs. the
golden oak leaves round the peak OF
his cap with the badge Of the line set
above them. He had been called hastily
from the lounge scarce an hour before
and he had not thought OF putting on
his oilskins. For that matter he was
hardly aware Of the wind and the rain:
He was web over SO now but stu
straight and broad. There was white
hair At his temples and faint lines were
etched In his face His eyes were not
as good as formeriy-they peered a
littie-but the clear blue of them was
undiminished. He stood with his strong
hands gripping the teak rail. facing the
gpray that lifted from the breaking
water against the hull below him, and
stared unseeingiy out into the night.
On the boat-deck foot below and
behind him were other men. the chief
stewards. the chief engineer. three
Junior engineers. son1e junior stewards
q few older seamen half dozen male
passengers, six or seven of the firemen
all greasy and dirty In their work
clothes, the second mate and the fourth
mate. All volunteers. The previous
days gale had smashed three boats ano
T1~f~ AaA hNAT
short. When destruction came there
was not enough room for everybody
Women and children first.
Queer the end should come ike this
Capt. Hansen was thinking There
vent another focket--the second ef1t
fourth mates were sending them uT
every three minutes. Queer TO finish
this way on 10000 tonner on {
night when the weather would hardl,
sink o dory. Struck something or other
rock. dereiict. maybe sunken ice. NJ
one knew. There had been only tn
slightest shock. then slow grfnolnI
and tearing into the very vitals OF tn
ship. Queer. ell right, after all thos
years on vessels so much smaller, s.
much less seaworthy. in weather In
finite!y worse. Well, man had 10 fac
It. and It always came Unexpectedly.
There was not much for him 10 com
plain about personally. He was rea
sonably old and he had been in wa
quite successful. Twenty years OF com
rnand was success. was 1t not? First tn
little Caradoc. out Of Liverpool for II
Plate and the wide East, and at la;
the AMMAN Prince 10000 tons. turbin
driven, % knots, 1000 passengers an
crew. Bands 10 play when sh
docked! The mall nag e. 'ier truck
49, Tx4SNt
hundred tons. wsG she not? And thu
engine had always been going wronI
and IN he worst places. Like that tim
ths nAHpero caught her in the Plat
&kx Knots she'd make in q pinch. seve
Il the current was Q following on
kIusty, dirty. Rolled like q hog: Coca
- caches, rats. They even tound