AHTER 1912 Charles Lightoller - Sinking of the

Next thing I remember, I was still hanging on to a bit of rope attached to the raft, but some 30 or 40 yards away from the ship. The wash of the falling funnel had evidently picked us up, raft and all, and flung us clear of the ship altogether.

Several of us trampled up onto the slippery bottom of the raft, and it was from there I saw the Titanic sink. As I watched, I could see her bow getting deeper and deeper in the water, with the former sticking up above the surface, whilst her stern lifted higher and higher, till it was right out of the water.

When she got to an angle of about sixty degrees, there was a sullen sort of rumbling roar, as Her massive boilers all left their beds and went crashing down through the bulk's heads and everything that stood in their way.

Up to that moment, she had stood out as clear as clear with her rose of electric lights all burning. When the boilers broke away, she was, of course, plunged into absolute darkness. her huge black outline was still perfectly distinct up against the stars and sky. Slowly she reared up on in till at last she was absolutely perpendicular. Then quite quietly,

but quicker and quicker she seemed just to slide away under the surface and disappear. When she vanished, everyone round me on the upturned boat, as though they could hardly believe it. Just said, he's gone.