He then sat down
and I stood up waiting to see what would happen. Even
then we thought she might possibly stay afloat.
"I got a sight on a rope between the davits and a star and
noticed that she was gradually sinking. About this time she
straightened up on an even keel and started to go down
fairly fast at an angle of about 30 degrees. As she started
to sink we left the davits and went back and stood by the rail
about even with the second funnel.
"Long and myself said good-bye to each other and jumped
up on the rail. He put his legs over and held on a minute
and asked me if I was coming. I told him I would be with
him in a minute. He did not jump clear, but slid down the
side of the ship. I never saw him again.
"About five seconds after he jumped I jumped out, feet
first. I was clear of the ship; went down, and as I came up
I was pushed away from the ship by some force. I came up
facing the ship, and one of the funnels seemed to be lifted off
and fell towards me about 15 yards away, with a mass of
sparks and steam coming out of it. I saw the ship in a sort
of a red glare, and it seemed to me that she broke in two just
in front of the third funnel.
"This time I was sucked down, and as I came up I was
pushed out again and twisted around by a large wave, coming
up in the midst of a great deal of small wreckage.
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