Титаник

           Hewasswimming,apparentlyonlyinthehopeofsavingthechildthatheheld;forinhisaustereconceptionofhisdutytherewasnoplaceofsalvationforhimwhileothersweredrowningandstruggling.Heswamuptoaboatwiththechildandgaspedout:“Takethechild!”Adozenwillinghandswerestretchedouttotakeit,andthentohelphimintotheboat;butheshookthemoff.Onlyforamomentheheldon,asking:“WhatbecameofMurdoch?”andwhentheysaidthathewasdead,heletgohishold,saying:“Letmego”;andthelastthattheysawofhimwasswimmingbacktowardstheship.Hehadnolifebelt;hehadevidentlynowishthatthereshouldbeanygruesomeresurrectionofhisbodyfromthesea,andundoubtedlyhefoundhisgravewherehewishedtofindit,somewherehardbythegraveofhisship.

           Theironyofchance,themercilessandillogicalselectionwhichdeathmakesinagreatcollectivedisaster,wasexemplifiedoverandoveragaininthedeathsofpeoplewhohadescapedsafelytoaboat,andthesalvationofotherswhowereinvolvedintheverycentreofdestruction.ThestrangestescapeofallwasprobablythatofColonelGracieoftheUnitedStatesarmy,whojumpedfromthetopmostdeckoftheshipwhenshesankandwassuckeddownwithher.Hewasdrawndownforalongwhile,andwhirledroundandround,andwouldhavebeendrawndowntoadepthfromwhichhecouldneverhavecomeupaliveifithadnotbeenfortheexplosionwhichtookplaceaftertheshipsank.