26th, 1892, on the steamer Spree when she was one thousand miles out
from Southampton on her way to New York), congratulating myself that I
had gotten passage in so swift a ship, when my thoughts were stopped by
a great crash that shook the vessel from stem to stern.
"My son, William Revell Moody, jumped from his berth and rushed on deck.
He was back again in an instant, crying that the shaft was broken and
the ship sinking. Then ensued a scene the like of which I hope never to
witness again. There was no panic, but the passengers, who had scrambled
on deck at the first warning, looked at each other in an appealing way
that was, if anything, more terrible than demonstrative fear. The
captain told us there was no danger, and some of the second cabin
passengers returned to their berths only to tumble back pellmell a
moment later. The rising water had driven them out. Some of them lost
all their clothes and valuables.
"At this point the officers buckled on their revolvers, but there was no
need to use them. The people, though terribly frightened, did not seem
to realize what had happened. The women didn't scream, but stood around
trembling and with blanched faces. Nobody said a word, but each waited
for his neighbor to speak.
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