Титанік

           BythistimethewomenandchildrenhadallbeenmusteredonthesecondorAdeck;themenweresupposedtoremainupontheboatdeckwhiletheboatswerebeingloweredtothelevelofthewomen,wheresectionsoftherailhadbeenclearedawayforthemtoembarkmoreeasily;butthisrule,likealltheotherrules,wasnotrigidlyobserved.Thecrewwasnottrainedenoughtodisciplineandcoercethepassengers.Howcouldtheybe?Theyweretrainedtoservethem,tobeobsequiousandobliging;itwouldhavebeentoomuchtoexpectthattheyshouldsuddenlytakecommandandorderthemabout.

           Thereweremanyminoradventuresandevenaccidents.Onewomanhadbothherlegsbrokeningettingintotheboat.Themerebusinessofbeingloweredinaboatthroughseventyfeetofdarknesswasinitselfproductiveofmorethanoneexcitingincident.Thefallsofthefirstboatjammedwhenshewasfourfeetfromthewater,andshehadtobedroppedintoitwithasplash.AndtherewasoneverycuriousincidentwhichhappenedtotheboatinwhichMr.Beezley,theEnglishschoolmasteralreadyreferredto,hadbeenallottedaplaceasahelper.“Astheboatbegantodescend,”hesaid,“twoladieswerepushedhurriedlythroughthecrowdonBdeck,andababytenmonthsoldwaspasseddownafterthem.Thendownwewent,thecrewshoutingoutdirectionstothoseloweringus.‘Level,’‘Aft,’‘Stern,’’Bothtogether!’untilweweresometenfeetfromthewater.HereoccurredtheonlyanxiousmomentwehadduringthewholeofourexperiencefromthetimeofourleavingthedecktoourreachingtheCarpathia.