University of Virginia Library

MEN STOOD BACK

"The men all stood away and remained in absolute silence leaning against the end railings of the deck or pacing slowly up and down.

"The boats were swung out and lowered from A deck. When they were to the level of B deck, where all the women were collected, they got in quietly, with the exception of some who refused to leave their husbands.

"In some cases they were torn from them and pushed into the boats, but in many instances they were allowed to remain because there was no one to insist they should go.

"Looking over the side, one saw boats from aft already in the water, slipping quietly away into the darkness, and presently the boats near me were lowered, and with much creaking as the new ropes slipped through the pulley blocks down the ninety feet which separated them from the water. An officer in uniform came up as one boat went down and shouted, "When you are afloat row round to the companion ladder and stand by with the other boats for orders.'

"`Aye, aye, sir,' came up the reply; but I don't think any boat was able to obey the order. When they were afloat and had the oars at work, the condition of the rapidly settling boat was so much more a sight for alarm for those in the boats than those on board, that in common prudence the sailors saw they could do nothing but row from the sinking ship to save

at any rate some lives. They no doubt anticipated that suction from such an enormous vessel would be more dangerous than usual to a crowded boat mostly filled with women.

"All this time there was no trace of any disorder; no panic or rush to the boats and no scenes of women sobbing hysterically, such as one generally pictures as happening at such times everyone seemed to realize so slowly that there was imminent danger. 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, it was extraordinary how calm everyone was and how completely self-controlled.

"One by one, the boats were filled 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.'

"I was on the port side, and most of the men walked across the deck to see if this was so I remained where I was and soon heard the call:

"`Any more ladies?'

"Looking over the side of the ship, I saw the boat, No. 13, swinging level with B deck, half full of ladies. Again the call was repeated, `Any more ladies?'

"I saw none come on, and then one of the crew, looking up, said:

"`Any more ladies on your deck, sir?'

"`No,' I replied.

"`Then you had better jump.'

"I dropped in, and fell in the bottom, as they cried `lower away.' As the boat began to descend two ladies were pushed hurriedly through the crowd on B deck and heaved over into the boat, and a baby of ten months passed down after them. Down we went, the crew calling to those lowering each end to `keep her level,' until we were some ten feet from the water, and here occurred the only anxious moment we had during the whole of our experience from leaving the deck to reaching the Carpathia.

"Immediately below our boat was the exhaust of the condensers, a huge stream of water pouring all the time from the ship's side just above the water line. It was plain we ought to be quickly away from this, not to be swamped by it when we touched water.