orce the doors of the staterooms to make the somnolent
appreciate their peril, and many of them, it is believed, were drowned
like rats in a trap.

ASTOR AND WIFE STROLLED ON DECK

Colonel and Mrs. Astor were in their room and saw the ice vision flash
by. They had not appreciably felt the gentle shock and supposed that
nothing out of the ordinary had happened. They were both dressed
and came on deck leisurely. William T. Stead, the London journalist,
wandered on deck for a few minutes, stopping to talk to Frank Millet.
"What do they say is the trouble?" he asked. "Icebergs," was the brief
reply. "Well," said Stead, "I guess it is nothing serious. I'm going
back to my cabin to read."

From end to end on the mighty boat officers were rushing about without
much noise or confusion, but giving orders sharply. Captain Smith told
the third officer to rush downstairs and see whether the water was
coming in very fast. "And," he added, "take some armed guards along to
see that the stokers and engineers stay at their posts."

In two minutes the officer returned. "It looks pretty bad, sir," he
said. "The water is rushing in and filling the bottom. The locks of the
water-tight compartments have been sprung by the shock."

"Give the command for all passengers to be on deck with life-belts on."

Through the length and breadth of the boat, upstairs and downstairs,
on all decks, the cry rang out: "All passengers on deck with
life-preservers."

A SUDDEN TREMOR OF FEAR

For the first time, there was a feeling of panic. Husbands sought for
wives and children. Families gathered together. Many who were asleep
hastily caught up their clothing and rushed on deck. A moment before the
men had been joking about the life-belts, according to the story told by
Mrs. Vera Dick, of Calgary, Canada. "Try this one," one man said to her,
"they are the very latest thing this season. Everybody's wearing them
now."

Another man suggested to a woman friend, who had a fox terrier in her
arms, that she should put a life-saver on the dog. "It won't fit," the
woman replied, laughing. "Make him carry it in his mouth," said the
friend.

CONFUSION AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS

Below, on the steerage deck, there was intense confusion. About the time
the officers on the first deck gave the order that all men should stand
to one side and all women should go below to deck B, taking the children
with them, a similar order was given to the steerage passengers.