ONE of the most connected and detailed accounts of
the horrible disaster was that told by Harold Bride,
the wireless operator. Mr. Bride said:
"I was standing by Phillips, the chief operator, telling
him to go to bed, when the captain put his head in the cabin.
"`We've struck an iceberg,' the captain said, `and I'm
having an inspection made to tell what it has done for us.
You better get ready to send out a call for assistance. But
don't send it until I tell you.'
"The captain went away and in ten minutes, I should
estimate the time, he came back. We could hear a terrific
confusion outside, but there was not the least thing to indicate
that there was any trouble. The wireless was working
perfectly.
"`Send the call for assistance,' ordered the captain, barely
putting his head in the door.
"`What call shall I send?' Phillips asked.
"`The regulation international call for help. Just that.'
"Then the captain was gone Phillips began to send `C.
Q. D.' He flashed away at it and we joked while he did so.
All of us made light of the disaster.
"The Carpathia answered our signal. We told her our
position and said we were sinking by the head. The operator
went to tell the captain, and in five minutes returned and told
us that the captain of the Carpathia, was putting about and
heading for us.
