A fireman named Dymond, of Southampton, related that on the day preceding the disaster the "Titanic" was proceeding at 22 half knots, and had entered the iceberg zone. The sea was as calm and still as a pond, and the day was find and with sunshine. Small clumps of ice could be seen in all directions, but there was no indication of large floes, or bergs. The crew and passengers were calculating on a most enjoyable trip in probably record time. This fact was gathered by the general tone of the conversations carried on on all hands.

LIKE A KNIFE BEING RASPED

Most of the passengers had retired by 11.30, and there were only a few moving about the vessel, enjoying the quietness of the scene, which was of an inspiring character. Mr. Dymond had just looked at his watch, which indicated twenty minutes to midnight, when he heard a sound similar to a knife being drawn over a rasp. He ran up on deck to see what was the matter. No harm seemed to have been done, so he went back to the stokehold again.

It was not long, however, before water began to pour in, and it had reached his ankles when he saw that something serious must have happened. He was then about to come off duty.

When he came on deck again he saw the boats being told off. In fact, they had all except one left the side of the vessel. He was told off to man this boat, but just as he was getting into her something happened, and he was swept on one side. There was no eagerness to get into the boat, however the difficulty really was to get sufficient persons to go away in her.

He was again warned off to man the boat, and this time he took his place. Eventually there were 68 souls on board this boat. There were no sailors. So far as he could see there was a deal of confusion, and scores who had first chance to get into the boats preferred to remain on the ship.

Dymond says he was ordered to stand by for a time, and when there was no response to the repeated call. "Any more women to go?" he was told to fill up the boat and get away. Six or seven hours later the boat was rescued by the Carpathia.