Page:Dickens - A Child s History of England, 1900.djvu/646

216 of the shock with which we had so determinedly borne down direct on that fatal iceberg, as if it had been  our destination instead of our destruction, had so smashed and pounded the ship that she got off in the same instant and righted. I did not want the carpenter to tell me she was filling and going down; I could see and hear that. I gave Ranies the word to lower the long-boat and the surf-boat, and I myself told off the men for each date not one hung back, or came before the other. I now whispered to John Steadiman, "John, I stand at the gangway here to see every soul on board safe over the side. You shall have the next post of honor, and shall be the last but one to leave the ship. Bring up the passengers, and range them behind me; and put what provision and water you can get at, in the boats. Cast your eye forward, John, and you'll see you have not a moment to lose.

My noble fellows got the boats over the side as orderly as I ever saw boats lowered with any sea running, and when they were launched, two or three of the nearest men in them as they held on, rising and falling with the swell, called out, looking up at me, "Captain Ravender, if any thing goes wrong with us and you are saved, remember we stood by you!"—"We'll all stand by one another ashore, yet, please God, my lads!" says I. "Hold on bravely, and be tender with the women."

The women were an example to us. They trembled very much, but they were quiet and perfectly collected. "Kiss me. Captain Ravender," says Mrs. Atherfield, "and God in heaven bless you, you good man!" "My dear," says I, "those words are better for me than a life-boat." I held her child in my arms till she was in the boat, and then kissed the child and handed her safe down. I now said to the people in her, " You have got your freight, my lads, all but me, and I am not coming yet a while. Pull away from the ship, and keep off!"

That was the long-boat. Old Mr. Rarx was one of her complement, and he was the only passenger who had greatly misbehaved since the ship struck. Others had been a little wild, which was not to be wondered at, and not very blamable; but he had made a lamentation and uproar which it was dangerous for the people to hear, as there is always contagion in weakness and selfishness. His incessant cry had been that he must not be