them.

As each of the boats was filled with its quota of passengers the word
was given and it was carefully lowered down to the dark surface of the
water.

Nobody seemed to know how Mr. Ismay got into a boat, but it was assumed
that he wished to make a presentation of the case of the Titanic to his
company. He was among those who apparently realized that the splendid
ship was doomed. All hands in the life-boats, under instructions from
officers and men in charge, were rowed a considerable distance from the
ship herself in order to get far away from the possible suction that
would follow her foundering.

COOLEST MEN ON BOARD

Captain Smith and Major Archibald Butt, military aide to the President
of the United States, were among the coolest men on board. A number of
steerage passengers were yelling and screaming and fighting to get to
the boats. Officers drew guns and told them that if they moved towards
the boats they would be shot dead. Major Butt had a gun in his hand and
covered the men who tried to get to the boats.

The following story of his bravery was told by Mrs. Henry B. Harris,
wife of the theatrical manager:

"The world should rise in praise of Major Butt. That man's conduct will
remain in my memory forever. The American army is honored by him and
the way he taught some of the other men how to behave when women and
children were suffering that awful mental fear of death. Major Butt was
near me and I noticed everything that he did.

"When the order to man the boats came, the captain whispered something
to Major Butt. The two of them had become friends. The major immediately
became as one in supreme command. You would have thought he was at a
White House reception. A dozen or more women became hysterical all at
once, as something connected with a life-boat went wrong. Major Butt
stepped over to them and said:

"'Really, you must not act like that; we are all going to see you
through this thing.' He helped the sailors rearrange the rope or chain
that had gone wrong and lifted some of the women in with a touch of
gallantry. Not only was there a complete lack of any fear in his manner,
but there was the action of an aristocrat.

"When the time came he was a man to be feared. In one of the earlier
boats fifty women, it seemed, were about to be lowered, when a man,
suddenly panic-stricken, ran to the stern of it. Major Butt shot one arm
out, caught him by the back of the neck and jerked him backward lik