inal catastrophe, the wild scramble for the
boats, and the final screams and death struggles in the boiling waves.

Suddenly there was a deafening roar. He heard warning shouts, followed
by the splintering of wood and the smashing of glass. Then came a solid
wall of green water. A mountainous sea swept clean over the place where
he lay, and passed on, leaving him bruised and gurgling for breath. Only
the rail had prevented him from being carried bodily over the side. A
giant wave had crashed down on the ship, twisting rails, smashing
life-boats, and deluging the interior of the ship with tons of water.
Below could be heard the shouts of the passengers. A moment later,
without further warning, came another and more serious shock, a series
of bumps on the ship's bottom, accompanied by a harsh, rending sound.
The steamer stopped and trembled from bow to stern. There was a grinding
sound. The vessel listed and heeled far over. The engines suddenly
stopped. The siren began to blow dismally. The officers were shouting.
The _Atlanta_ had run on a rock.

In the saloon and staterooms all was chaos and confusion. The electric
lights had gone out, the sudden inrush of water having extinguished the
furnaces. Already the scared firemen were climbing up from the
stoke-hold like rats escaping from a sinking ship. Every one realized
that the steamer was doomed, yet there was no panic. The imminence of
the peril seemed to have stricken every one dumb, passengers and
stewards alike. Hardly a sound was heard except the quick orders given
by the officers and the noise of the passengers' footfalls, as they
hastened up on deck. Every one was cool. The men retained their
self-possession, the women their fortitude. There was no sign of
hysteria. On every one's face was a tense look of quiet anxiety, as if
it was realized that death was near, and each had summoned up courage to
meet it bravely. Even Mrs. Stuart, white-faced and half fainting, did
not give way entirely. She and Grace, assisted by Professor Hanson, made
their way as quickly as they could to the deck where, all huddled
together, they patiently waited for the sailors to lower the boats. The
waves were running mountain high. What use were the life-boats in such a
sea? Grace's lips moved in prayer.

Armitage, still clinging to the rail, watched the sailors as they worked
rapidly at the davits to lower the boats. This, he said to himself, was
certainly the end. No boat could live in