Chapter VI. "Women and Children First!"

COOL-HEADED OFFICERS AND CREW BRING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS—FILLING THE LIFE-BOATS—HEARTRENDING SCENES AS FAMILIES ARE PARTED—FOUR LIFE-BOATS LOST—INCIDENTS OF BRAVERY—"THE BOATS ARE ALL FILLED!"

ONCE on the deck, many hesitated to enter the swinging life-boats. Tho glassy sea, the starlit sky, the absence, in the first few moments, of intense excitement, gave them the feeling that there was only some slight mishap; that those who got into the boats would have a chilly half hour below and might, later, be laughed at.

It was such a feeling as this, from all accounts, which caused John Jacob Astor and his wife to refuse the places offered them in the first boat, and to retire to the gymnasium. In the same way H. J. Allison, a Montreal banker, laughed at the warning, and his wife, reassured by him, took her time dressing. They and their daughter did not reach the Carpathia. Their son, less than two years old, was carried into a life-boat by his nurse, and was taken in charge by Major Arthur Peuchen.

Contents:

Related Resources

Titanic

Download Options

Title: Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters

Select an option:

*Note: A download may not start for up to 60 seconds.

Email Options

Title: Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters

Select an option:

Email addres:

*Note: It may take up to 60 seconds for for the email to be generated.

Chicago: Logan Marshall, "Chapter VI. Women and Children First!," Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters, trans. Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859 in Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters Original Sources, accessed March 27, 2023, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=DMWRSI96FHWI8D7.

MLA: Marshall, Logan. "Chapter VI. "Women and Children First!"." Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters, translted by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859, in Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters, Original Sources. 27 Mar. 2023. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=DMWRSI96FHWI8D7.

Harvard: Marshall, L, 'Chapter VI. "Women and Children First!"' in Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters, trans. . cited in 1909, Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters. Original Sources, retrieved 27 March 2023, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=DMWRSI96FHWI8D7.