Титаник
Chapter 12
Thesensationwasnotthatoftheshipsinking,butofthewaterrisingabouther.Andthelastpicturewehaveofher,whilestillvisible,stillafirmrefugeamidthewaters,isofthebandstillplayingandathrongofpeoplelookingoutfromthelamplitupperdecksafterthedisappearingboats,bracingthemselvesasbesttheymightfortheterribleplungeandshockwhichtheyknewwascoming.Hereandtheremenwhoweredeterminedstilltomakeafightforlifeclimbedovertherailandjumpedover;itwasnotaseventyfootdropnowperhapsundertwenty,butitwasaformidablejump.Somewerestunned,andsomeweredrownedatoncebeforetheeyesofthosewhowaited;andthedullsplashestheymadewereprobablythefirstvisibledemonstrationofthedeaththatwascoming.Dutieswerestillbeingperformed;anolddecksteward,whohadchargeofthechairs,wasbusilycontinuingtowork,adaptinghisdutiestotheemergencythathadarisenandlashingchairstogether.InthishewashelpedbyMr.Andrews,whowaslastseenengagedonthisstrangelyironictaskofthrowingchairsoverboardfrailraftsthrownuponthewatersthatmightormightnotavailsomestrugglingsoulwhenthemomentshouldarrive,andthegreatshipofhisdesigningfloatnolonger.Throughouthehadbeenuntiringinhiseffortstohelpandheartenpeople;butinthisthelastvisionofhim,thereissomethingnotfarshortofthesublime
