1958-09-27 — Page 8

T'agë. B

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1958.

A Pig And A Promise

Saved Me From The Titanic

you must remember to pay your....... dobta,' to which 1 acervored: "We mother, you know it took Three years of my life to pAY MY debis after the" "Tilable,'' Tal- ways pay my detit.” “I don't

fear that" ate, anid: "Best you have benis in no many extra- ordinary accidents and havo al- ways been spared, you oyo A great debt and cach day of your He you should do a kindness to 'person er en anknal, to show your gratitude." 1 have led for your to follow this advice.

By Edith L. Russell

She Won't Hold Out Much Longer!

LOOKING up from the lifeboat, the "Titanic", seemed the biggest thing in the world. I saw many people hanging over the rail, I distinctly heard music, but I do not remember As we drew away, every hearing "Nearer my God to Thee,' thing was calm and still, with the reflection of the lights on the water. passengers leaning over the rails......nothing to predict the horror of the next few minutes.

I

During the fross

סדי

voyage the "Carpathia"

ha

cho

smother place. Edith loves to discomdostar of overcrowding travel."

were ane them balanced by the wonderful kindness of everyone However, my father took M

on board. It was mon over my- early train into New York, went way, and on Thursday as we to his nourazce trekker and toolt crept up New York harbour in out a large policy to cover me. the heavy fog, the "Carpathia" The broker quoted a very low was suddenly surroundod by nate and bold him to column at boatloads of newspaper mors sekt moon to picks up the palley. When, photographers. These now ĐIN my father went back, the pre- rivals yelled at us from thela mium was 50% and the broker boats through megaphones, offer- was not at all koen to complete ing to pay high pekeen to pay the source.

survivors who could produco written accounia' or photographis of the disaster, urging us throw them overboard in bottles. Captain Rosizon, ever solled toum

bout am. my lifeboat, num to the late nowe, and were it hot all night, Itterally half-submerg- but he told me brier that he would not have ed in the water. "Carpathia" Up to that time picked up the S.OS. £rom

ber 11, drow

alonpakke

the for tidio,

"Titanic,"

the

these

Among them there had been a

the sea had remained absolutely but now a great many calm,

At about 11 o'clock on Mon- young woman, thought to have whitecaps appeared. We were day evening, Ouz first night been a Miss Evans from Booton, tossing and rolling. Having left aboard the "Carpthing"

who had given up her place in Hicboat to a mother and child. the "Titanic" at about 1.45 nm. were three blinding Basics of this made about 635 hours that lightning, followed by thunder- She stood upright, de was socco od spent in the lifeboat, but alaps of such deafening intensity mary, as long as she could. Fin It seemed only an hour,

that a number of us from the ally are salt to M. Rheims The dist pay to leave our "Titanic" dashed out on deck cannot und any longan I Just bost was a baby boy, whọ way. We were still very much on our

must sit down" Ho told her: We hoisted up in a canvas sack and nerves, and I suppose we felt have to starxi to balance the boat

were hoisted that perhaps we had egerpot one

or we will drown." She stood a the other babies aboard in the acme way.

Hitle longer, der body bent closer One disaster only to run into a great-

anal closer to the wwer wful er one. Instead of which the

inally she was submerged. She "Captivia" simply an into a

lay dood at his feat fur some dense fog, and the monotonous dd not cease from

then on until we were alongside the pler New York on Thaneday night, April 10, after 10 pm.

A great deal has been said about the screams in the water. personally heard none, but many stories have been related about sur- vivors in the water clinging to overcrowded lifeboats and having to be le baby struggled madly and pushed away for fear of the lifeboats being overturned,

d not want to leave at all

After his, a "Boatuwain's

fashized swing, Sydn wered After striking out, one of our first thoughts was to look in the chat very much like an oid walling of her, for signals

ter the grown-ups. The women boat for a lantern, as we feared another lifeboat might collide with us.

wise old to sit on the Witle thear eyes, We had on board a mate and three young cabin stewards, a number of wooden seat, elene cabin-class' women passengers, seven babies who were separated from and hold on tightly to the supes. Thus we were hoisted with great

the room stewardess, speed up, and into their parents, the Turkish bath stewardess, my and six first-class passengers. I remember that some of them were later a Welcoming Hands were

Stretched out in receive us very seasick, and the babies were continually screaming and crying. We were lucky to have some men in our boat, as a number had only women, who rowed all night.

Some of the earlier lifebo... had left with few passengers, so reluctant were they to leave the

from her, as though from one throat. The men in our boat esk- ed us all to cheer, saying in

own

we suddenly came upon a pas- senger in the bottom of the bust whom we had not noticed be-

practically at my feet.

B., sixteen

envinced that

"Car-

It is no exaggeration to smy that with 711 of us added to her

sengers, this ship was fully own capacity of crew and x- loaded. "Carpatika" passengen urselfishly gave up tveir "bw cabins for the most serious cases among the survivors, but most of us willingly bedded down on best we could, on drawing room sofas and even as in my own case, on dining room tables.

time, then a move carried her body out of the bout to the open sca. There was nothing they could do to aeroven her with bul upselling whe bowl.

20

Then corru rumours ol dis aster. My faliter en un agnostic,

* leaving his broker's office, he Avent into every charch he could our welfare and feelings, be- carne angry with them; in fact I End, of every denominallon, and

heard him shout through a RNCEZ- prayed fervently that i should

phone that tse would shoot dry be saved. From that time on he had an abiding faith.

ene of them who tried to comun pboard (Fortunately he did not have to make good this thredž,)-

While the "Carpathia" gyaka downstreamia in still quite for New York harbour, soms event= The individual stories were as ing newspapers were brought on varlod way life Healt

boned from a. tud. I was startled

mimė tamon

Lady Duff Gordon, fame, was safe on the

The

of dress to reed my

"Car- missing, fearing the shock this pathia" with her husband. but would give my parents, founder

ste but losi hør eftire collection of French drones which she was king to America, Mrs Jacques Futrelle, the novelfat, war one

of the most pathetic casos. On the "Carpathia" she cafd: "Jac ques and I were childhood pweet- hearts. We married when he was 20 and 1 was 18. Wo tave had 18 years of complete happiness.

When M. Rheims was brought abound the "Carpathi," he could think only of this courageous My forte is wrling love slorles and unfortunate young women, How can I continue writing although his own suffering and romances when the only real been considerable

and his legs reanance I have ever had in my were frozen,

Ike lies at the bottom of the sea?"

the

ship; but its won decítially what we heard were shouls of foro, although he had been yh been picked up, and the captain, vivors, buoyed up by false hope memory of the grief of so many aboard

overloaded with 1: 68 paste ger. It was senvely possibly to change places for fear of enpsiz- ing the beat, and the men could not use the opers properly e- cause of being pressed in on all sider.

By now

joy indienting that all aboard had cleared the ship and were there was enough light to recog saved And everyone in rise him as a stoker. The poor sore, our beat did cetusily cheer the fellow was dead. I suppoan rines. This, of course, was more- may have jumped head into those survivors ly a devler to distruct us from the boat, knocked himself the awful sound as the ship went consciou down, and it dht at least serve

All of the weats hav that purpose. Somehow or other 104 been taken Some

me we were still quite incrabic or before

of the boat, realising the full extent siting tragedy in which we were par-

icipants,

1 entered the 1 spen: the night on the upright edge of a kind of centreboard, between two oz. mon. All the time they rowed I had to lean alternately Ir-

wands and backwards, so os nut

to impede them, but with every soeke, I was nevertheless caught

by an oxur, either on my chest or en my back. It was this constant thumping which later canised me to develop neuritis folfling the prophecy of Madame de Thebes, for I did indeed lose my singing votee for all time, f even my speaking valce www seriously itgeted for two years. (Fortun ately I hal Just been umeur singer, although with aspirations.)

CAT

量

妆

·

un-

and has frozen death without being noticed.

Presently I saw another light told the on the horizon, and young man rowing next to about it. He was too depressed to belleve me.

As we steamed - slowly up- stream we began to see dimly: through the dog the brilliantly lighted buildinga. I believe it was the slow tolling af belliss we thus approached the ind which confirmed to us that they sinking of the "Titanic" indeed been a termale disaster.

Up to that time, we had · not given up hope that the "Chill» fornian" or some other vessel, might have picked up many of those who had to remate aboard the sinking ship.

Once, alongside the White Star pier, we were told upon leaving : the ship to go iraroodiately the partitiona where the Knížiais of our summes were displayed. I went straight to 'R' and looked around.

I shall mover dorget that pier. There were thousands of people there, bab not a sound-wan la Lense silence a silence of death. There was no one waiting for.

Aboard the "Carpathia" sur-

Mrs Isidore Strauss would not for other

leave her husband and stayed on the."Tikanic” with him. vivom slood walting

The boat-loads had lifeboats to come alongside. By

"Munsinkable" Mrs Brown, as she Meanwhile, many of the sur-

After all these years,

was labor cilipd, was very busy the "Carpathia" gelling there were no about the safety of their drierde gave ordern to gut ant relatives, showed energy and brings tours to my eyes, The up resolutions. Mrs Brown, had

The he underway.

agory uk

activity. Meetings were held and stories told on the "Carpathia" made history in Denver ween, es awating the resolutions passed. A number of showed how little the full dan a miner's wife, she put 350.00 possible arrival of loved ones, these have since bome fruit, per had been realised. One lady dollam in a stove for safekeep. was indescribable. The "Cali- such as those concerning the who had broken her arm a few ing, forgot about it and then fornian" was on the soene and kunching of lifeboate and

the hour before the tragedy, had started a bice waryn fre, Misjor there in case orcallion of ice patrols to war

her jewel box with her es she Pouchon, of Toronto, and was to remain

was about to get into a lifeboat. Astor, then pregnant, bad row- there were still more survivory shire of icebergs.

drht We were odl

Jog. to be picked up.

She turned to her husband and ed a lifeboat ali trut the

gave him the box, saying: "It's Colonel Astor, had numained on under the impression "Californian" had on board most

ico risley for me to eaty this the ship with his beautiful dog. of our fellow passengers, anti

with my broken arm. You keep A nbborious gambler who made me. Dit my family really thinkc

I was dead? I waited mono: 10: the dull

it and bring it to me tomorrow a living, by voyaging on big ut breakfast" We had all been ships and playing

minutes by the better "R" few of us anticipated

Ironically, then, not being whức to shond the extent of the tragedy.

told by the officers that we would among those saved, ali meet in the morning at One young man forcibly dressed suspense any longer, en bad

in worn

clothing

by his towards the gangway. There I booklast,

found my fearslly! Thore bad boo mother, wog zavod.

conflicting reporta... Inaume. pepers I had been reported, us missing and in others se vic My family missed me un I came down the gangway, as iḥay (sià

me

"Matane, don't ret imagına- tive. There is no Eght, and there will not be any fight. It's no use looking for good things none are coming." Another sea- fece of the water to indicate the turbed by the "New York" i

when

pessimism.

★

*

<X-

Thene was nothing on the sur.

horror of the night before ex- cept a slight brownish discolora tion and bits of straw cd wood floating about. Banks of ice tended as far as the eye could see. Il wes brillantly sunny but sti miersely cold. After HT had been underwor for about three-quarters of an hour, the strip slowed down and the bodies who had been

but who had died of exposure, were buried in dhe sea. A priest aboard delivered a prayor.

The only sense of danger was man echoed this that the cabin boy, searching forms is my third shipwreck, he

over our said. "If I get out of this one the lantorn, crawled feet in the overcrowded bout. I'm going back home to be lighting matches and throwing milkman." tam half burned into the bottom of the boat amongst the few blankets. We begged him not to do this es we feared fire. He

But before long, we all saw of six sailors sald he did not for fiou, but he

the white light and then a red taken on board, was terrifying most of us. I almo asked the rowers not to smoke, one boneath it, which signified as we might possibly need the the arrival of the "Carpathia Tow-matches for a better purpose. As the san jose, beautiful- and Despite the many stars in the later on, and it bits of burned clear, wo rowed us best we court sky, it was the blackest night I tobacco flew among the i oward the rescue ship, amid ler

clothing bu've ever reen. The mate, who fammoble

of the peaks which made me think of was in some sort of vemmard, women and dildren, it would be the mountains rising out of the had found a piece of repe. He dangerous, but is nerest was allar lakes. Brilliantly lighted.

she seemed

that * big would light it and let li dive for ignored.

Fow inlantes.

thought swinging #

the she might be around as a signal, and then ex-

"Olymple," and we feared inguishing . His ider won that

suction by flourishing this light he could warn other febeuls in the vi- cinity and so prevent our being

rammed.

The sea was absolutely calm and there were stars out, but the night was no block that we could see the sllent lecfloes around us

only when our boat came elese upon them, and it was bitterly cold. Against this beeliground of coli "Tranquillity" a number of womon in the boat had become half hysterical with apprchen- sion ever absent husbands and chlidren. The babies tretted and eriod all night out I played

to calm "La Maxixe"

them, twirling the pig's tail around and the music. around to produI CO

could hardy things Next day the pig These may have seemed, rather un play, su many times had he been important for a 1cboat carried called upon.

The search for a lantern con- tinuod for a long time, but we could not find one; nor could we Hind a compass or food or drink- ing water, and there were in- silicient OWY

by no unsinkable ship.

I now looked towards the starboard light of the Title," shining, bright green. I noticed that this light seemed to be gel- ting lower, nearer to the water,

★ ★

All the time we were in the best we, noticed a distant light

We had left the Ber at about which seemed to come trom_en- 1.45 am. Al 2.00 am. I looked at other ship.

I found out after-

my wrist-walch. One of the wards it was the "Californiacy" stowwds rowing made the re- which, had it come in our resque, mark: "She won't hold out much might caperivably have saved eff longer,"

of is. The officiaí enquiry dis dum closed that their wireless oper

I did not realise even

for had not received our signal,

what he messil, but I heard him having gone to bed. for this was ay to the other steward: "Let's before the days of round-the- len into it and get away or ele clock radio watches. mwy stul suck us under."

Gradually the green starboard light dropped closer to the water. At about two o'clock radicels avere leed from the up-

went

It cliso

developed later that the "Call- forian" had tried to signal the "Titanic" by light, to see if we were in trouble, but getting no answer from our stricken ship,

Jual

per deck of the ship, hor very mumed that we were all right, laut call for July. At 2.20-I saw Not wishing to risk going fur- the turboard light discppear ther through the folde into the waten The stern of the night, the "Californian" stap, fully lighted, stood up to stopped where she war. But how the sky-suggesting a skyscrap she could have out there and our distress. rockets er by night, so high anxi straight watched

did it riso into the cir. Then it without doing anything, will re- seemed to shoot down into the main a mystery. unter, even light bazlagt. There

"

was a heavy explosion beneath

Finally that intense cold which seltted on the water. Only those who love

the water, these coral und a precoder dawn,

third. Contrary to what the me, stood a right watch of any kind in our boat brit fenres, these ex-" plosions wtually thrust us forth-eate the peculiarty pone- trating, chilliness of the half-

er sway, as by an invisible-hand, hour that divides night from Just belong the ahla - wont moming in reaching for extrM down, then manna e blige rose slothing for opa på this, whoreunde,

we

Soon after our narival on the "Carpathis." most of us sought out the Wireless Operator, Mr Coltam, and tried to send mest- nges to our families and frierul We learned from elm that the had intercepted the call for help from the Titanic" wwd 1 dromatic wakening of Captain As we drew closer tu the Rastron who brought the ship to rescue ship, we noticed other our rescue. Mr Cottam was in robeats also making for her. At the habit of staying up to listen

het

TR WILLIAM MuoQužity, producer of the Pinewood

everywhere with her since she was dividend in 3, mat

Many annodates were told by survivors. A Me Speddon, dis

cident on the "Titonde" was Boay own inspection of safety devises ing Southampoobs, tad made his

din board and her observed that there were only 18 Hfeboats cud leave in a lifeboat suld "No, they 4 collapsible boats, enough for are far safer with me on the about one-third of the ship's ship." Senator Clark's son was total carrying capacity. He had with his wife on their wedding aid to his family: " anything trip. Mrs Clark asked him to goes wrong, bot us all five stick back to their attendomi

get her pearl necklace that had together." They did, sind were

been given to her as a wedding saved together.

presoni. She never saw her hus. band agains

Another lady who had given ber jewels to her maid about to —

to

cards,

was

Mr Widener, of Philadelphia, pot recognize me. I had siwyge

came to me and said. "You told in my long fur com and wool. whom I met on the "Titanic" been such a fashion plate and me before we left the "Titanic" cap, I was almost disguised

obeying were only that we Board of Trado rules and re- gulations, that I would meet my husband and con at breakfast, Now here I am alone and I fear that they are lost.”

".

A

inge

A Monsieur Rheims, an in- porter from Paris, told how be- fore Jumpling from the ship, he

lot of the passengers seemed

The qulot of the soon w WH had embraced and cald good-bye to have felt that the order for

broken by erics and sobe. Many to his brother-in-law, knowing the women and children to leave

Archibald nurses and dogloan were in al- that the letter could not swim the ship was merely a matter of and touring that they

Gracie came to me on board the tendance. Apparently it had boa would rules and regulations, and at Carpatiria" and find me Mr J. expected that a number of mit- mem see cach other egal, we would later be brought back Clinds Smith had jumped with vivors would have to be cantod, which they never did. Monsieur en boord, or that somehow we him at the last moment, but he off the "Campaihda" un stretcity. thelma, together with a number would all have breakfas to-

Ther

The Jate Calane)

to meet the once

never saw Mr. Smith after strikers, but monfly all of those who of others, het later managed to gether! Halifax. I don't knowing the water. He told me he had been saved, were oblo, fo climb aboard an overturned how many times I heard had lost his little girl a your be- walk down the gangway. It is

they er exprezed. collapsible bout.

It simply was force, crushed in a lift wecident in difficult to describe the cruel fr.. maintained a precarious belance inconceivable that

Ada mand Paris. "My mamascrip)," ise family of that spectacle, the bargy fcent ship could run aloKLİ of added, "fruit of many years but quiet picry the erging och anything s old-fashionoch The disaster; or that we should suffer labour has gone down with the subbing among those, wim trad

'Titanic' 7 am too stunned to get come

they mything greater than a temple over this. I shall write a atury of lovat, trucyed up by o hope in ory inconvenience which would the Tianie and then I shall fold be confirmed. broken, and 613, be set wright with the retura of

my moms on my chest and die." the time the bells kept tolling daylight and healing. Similarly, He wrote a very good book on and outside theme wide a cold the fast newvopeper reports New Yoris said: "Titanic Being the "Titanic" diesler and within drizzle of min. Under these cir

cumstances, the cancionade of Towed to Halifax,"

a year he died.

Lashes from photographer The rapidity and unexpected lamps as vo went into the street Deas of the end of the "Tianie" seemed a cruelly inappropriate may account for the abechce of thing. parlo. The ship was so long, too, that it was not very apparent to us, way back where the last life

elkom: “A: MEGHIT 209 REMEM- masomi wkkola she has carried.

the

I had no luggage fonly I my the pig mascot «ilk – held tightly under my an as I walk-

ed up the street with räy family, Thart pig is still with the today.

Speaking of being towod so boats wore being loaded, Hallux, while I was playing the the bow had already sunk dar music to calm the children, I was into the water. Moreover, the The tragedy of Hol"Titanic" constantly sending out a tele- Copains, offers and new were has remained with me, as it will pathic message to my father to allocatThey eventually to my last day. End it not boon Here my luggage. This was not realised the full extent of through any mercenary Intent disaster, and they willingly send-or my prombe to my mother the mever to be separated from the en my peert, but I was very much fleed their lives to comble

for plai tovevec 1 wpul not concerned became the clotine I few of us to survive and to keep have been the next-to-last post was bringing back from Paris thoon who remained on board in calen friend of mind. kelder-

senger in the last coat of the belonged mostly to clients in the

**Titanic.***** Stafco, and I was motivated by ally, this was to have been Cap- tod Saith's last voyage before my obligation to them.

retirement.

Strangely enough, at that mame time my kiber was cutting the pages of a magazine of our Home in Long Island. He was rooting fa bed card whe cutting the purpos with a knife

FOOTNOTEgert mi

Various figures of the inurbes, of punongens noch grew whơ mil- ed on the TITANICH BIN ot numbers just gost, saved, have been given from time to time, I

I have always felt that the indicate the followinz; suppUNT

by Sven to bản Captaly Sinitih on the "Olymple," reason for the disaster was not to me by the Cunard Line the previous year The blade flew so much carelessons in naviga- Passergers on board the off and be bened to my mother ton as over-confidence in the

affected

ship

and said: "It's queer, but I am coblosa of the ship. It huid Crow

everyone: pestënjars getting odd messages from Edith. 2nd not even been agnod 10 Toted telling me to taco for lagg boat stations and go drill had

She seems to be in trouble.“ My mother answered "Don't be silky. Sho's all right,” But my father could mot sleep. He wilted wat

Acer hald.

1516

2,204

Passengers saved

Crew Hoved

I have often boeri nasced: "Whò paid for your lost merchandise?" Total survivors

be heard the newspapPANE being in Lonic three years of intensive thaowa ory to our porch, so they sacrifice to repay my debla, da Parent Boat. do in country places, and when the sinship company paid only Crow Lost be so the besGIDO, TYTANIC a mall percentage of my per- BEING TOWED TO HALIFAX, vonal property tomon STRUCK AN ICEBERG,

usbed up to my mathor

of dabim, before my.

Total Toms of life,