aft.

"The explosions," Whiteman said; "were caused by the rushing in of the
icy water on the boilers. A bundle of deck chairs, roped together, was
blown off the deck with me, and I struck my back, injuring my spine, but
it served as a temporary raft.

"The crew and passengers had faith in the bulkhead system to save the
ship and we were lowering a collapsible boat, all confident the ship
would get through, when she took a terrific dip forward and the water
swept over the deck and into the engine rooms.

"The bow went clean down, and I caught the pile of chairs as I was
washed up against the rim. Then came the explosions which blew me
fifteen feet.

"After the water had filled the forward compartments, the ones at the
stern could not save her, although they did delay the ship's going down.
If it wasn't for the compartments hardly anyone could have got away."

A SAD MESSAGE

One of the Titanic's stewards, Johnson by name, carried this message to
the sorrowing widow of Benjamin Guggenheim:

"When Mr. Guggenheim realized that there was grave danger," said the
room steward, "he advised his secretary, who also died, to dress fully
and he himself did the same. Mr. Guggenheim, who was cool and collected
as he was pulling on his outer garments, said to the steward:--

PREPARED TO DIE BRAVELY

"'I think there is grave doubt that the men will get off safely. I am
willing to remain and play the man's game, if there are not enough boats
for more than the women and children. I won't die here like a beast.
I'll meet my end as man.'

"There was a pause and then Mr. Guggenheim continued:

"'Tell my wife, Johnson, if it should happen that my secretary and I
both go down and you are saved, tell her I played the game out straight
and to the end. No woman shall be left aboard this ship because Ben
Guggenheim was a coward.

"'Tell her that my last thoughts will be of her and of our girls, but
that my duty now is to these unfortunate women and children on this
ship. Tell her I will meet whatever fate is in store for me, knowing she
will approve of what I do.'"

In telling the story the room steward said the last he saw of Mr.
Guggenheim was when he stood fully dressed upon the upper deck talking
calmly with Colonel Astor and Major Butt.

Before the last of the boats got away, according to some of the
passengers' narratives, there were more than fifty shots fired upon the
decks by officers or others in the effort to main