hia came rumors of misstatements which were
being made to the public. The details of the wreck were wofully
misunderstood.

"Let me emphasize that the night was not foggy or cloudy. There was just
the beginning of the new moon, but every star in the sky was shining
brightly, unmarred by clouds. The boats were lowered from both sides of
the Titanic in time to escape, but there was not enough for all.

CHAPTER XVII. WIRELESS OPERATOR PRAISES HEROIC WORK

STORY OF HAROLD BRIDE, THE SURVIVING WIRELESS OPERATOR OF THE TITANIC,
WHO WAS WASHED OVERBOARD AND RESCUED BY LIFE-BOAT--BAND PLAYED RAG-TIME
AND "AUTUMN"

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

GREAT SCRAMBLE ON DECK

"Our captain had left us at this time and Phillips told me to run and
tell him what the Carpathia had answered. I did so, and I went through
an awful mass of people to his cabin. The decks were full of scrambling
men and women. I saw no fighting, but I heard tell of it.

"I came back and heard Phillips giving the Carpathia fuller directions.
Phillips told me to put on my clothes. Until that moment I forgot that I
was not dressed.

"I went to my cabin and dressed. I brought an overcoa