maid went right out on A deck on the port side and
we went to the starboard side. As at this time we had no idea the boat
would sink we walked around A deck and then went to B deck. Then we
thought we would go back to see if mother had gotten off safely, and
went to the port side of A deck. We met the chief steward of the main
dining saloon and he told us that mother had not yet taken a boat, and
he took us to her.
"Father and mother went ahead and I followed. They went down to B deck
and a crowd got in front of me and I was not able to catch them, and
lost sight of them. As soon as I could get through the crowd I tried to
find them on B deck, but without success. That is the last time I saw my
father. This was about one half an hour before she sank. I then went to
the starboard side, thinking that father and mother must have gotten off
in a boat. All of this time I was with a fellow named Milton C. Long, of
New York, whom I had just met that evening.
"On the starboard side the boats were getting away quickly. Some boats
were already off in a distance. We thought of getting into one of the
boats, the last boat to go on the forward part of the starboard side,
but there seemed to be such a crowd around I thought it unwise to make
any attempt to get into it. He and I stood by the davits of one of the
boats that had left. I did not notice anybody that I knew except Mr.
Lindley, whom I had also just met that evening. I lost sight of him in a
few minutes. Long and I then stood by the rail just a little aft of the
captain's bridge.
THOUGHT SHIP WOULD FLOAT
"The list to the port had been growing greater all the time. About
this time the people began jumping from the stern. I thought of jumping
myself, but was afraid of being stunned on hitting the water. Three
times I made up my mind to jump out and slide down the davit ropes and
try to make the boats that were lying off from the ship, but each time
Long got hold of me and told me to wait a while. He then sat down and
I stood up waiting to see what would happen. Even then we thought she
might possibly stay afloat.
"I got a sight on a rope between the davits and a star and noticed that
she was gradually sinking. About this time she straightened up on an
even keel and started to go down fairly fast at an angle of about 30
degrees. As she started to sink we left the davits and went back and
stood by the rail about even with the second funnel.
"Long and myself said g
|