and
pounding of a score of propellers, and the hiss of a dozen steel stems
as they ripped the smooth waters on courses converging to the spot where
the wireless voice had suddenly flickered out into silence.

But of all those who had been listening to the signals Captain Rostron
of the _Carpathia_ knew that his ship would most likely be among the
first to reach the spot. It was about midnight on Sunday that the
passengers of the _Carpathia_ first became aware that something unusual
was happening. The course had been changed and a certain hurrying about
on the decks took the place of the usual midnight quiet. The trembling
and vibration increased to a quick jumping movement as pressure of steam
was gradually increased and the engines urged to the extreme of their
driving capacity. The chief steward summoned his staff and set them to
work making sandwiches and preparing hot drinks. All the hot water was
cut off from the cabins and bath-rooms, so that every ounce of steam
could be utilized for driving the machinery.

The _Carpathia_ was nearly seventy miles from the position of the
_Titanic_ when she changed her course and turned northward; she had been
steaming just over four hours when, in the light of that wonderful dawn,
those on the look-out descried a small boat. As they drew nearer they
saw other boats, and fragments of wreckage, and masses of ice drifting
about the sea. Captain Rostron stopped while he was still a good
distance from the boats, realizing that preparations must be made before
he could take passengers on board. The accommodation gangway was rigged
and also rope ladders lowered over the sides, and canvas slings were
arranged to hoist up those who were too feeble to climb. The passengers
crowded along the rail or looked out of their portholes to see the
reaping of this strange harvest of the sea. The first boat came up
almost filled with women and children--women in evening dress or in fur
coats thrown over nightgowns, in silk stockings and slippers, in rags
and shawls. The babies were crying; some of the women were injured and
some half-fainting; all had horror on their faces. Other boats began to
come up, and the work of embarking the seven hundred survivors went on.
It took a long time, for some of the boats were far away, and it was not
until they had been seven hours afloat that the last of them were taken
on board the _Carpathia_. Some climbed up the ladders, others were put
into the slings and s