* D E A T H O F A T I T A N *
As the Titanic's bow went under, the stern rose higher into the air. A mass of people had gathered there, and some chose to jump in the chances of making it to a boat nearby. Officer Lightoller could still not believe that the ship was actually going to founder. From the boats, the people watched as the ship sank lower and listened to the terrified screams of those still onboard. From Lifeboat 14 [now tied up with boats 10, 12, 4, and D] Second class passenger Mrs. Charlotte Collyer watched the Titanic and distinctly thought she saw Second Class passenger Father Thomas Byles leading a group of men in prayer.
Titanic's stern rises higher out of the water
"I shall never forget the terrible beauty of Titanic. She was tilted forward, head down. To me she looked like an enormous glow worm: electric light blazing in every cabin, lights on all her decks. I could make out groups of men standing with their arms crossed upon their chests with lowered heads. I'm sure they were in prayer. In the midst of them a man stood above the rest. His hands stretched out as if he were pronouncing a blessing. I think he must have been Father Byles."
In boat number 13, Second Class passenger Lawrence Beesley also watched as the Titanic's decks grew steeper. He had been watching the ship's sinking progress from the time he entered the lifeboat up until now with full attention.
"She tilted slowly up, revolving apparently about a center of gravity just astern or midship until she attained a vertically upright position, and there she remained -- motionless!"
On the stern railing of the Titanic at the very top of the now slanting deck was Chief Baker Charles John Joughin. Joughin had been awakened when the Titanic had collided with the fatal berg and had sent his staff to put biscuits in the lifeboats. Joughin had drank a full bottle of liquor to attempt to insulate himself from the inevitable cold of the 28 degree water below. While clambering up the deck, he made his way to the starboard side of the Poop deck and clung to the rail.
Chief Baker Charles John Joughin
"I eventually got to the starboard side of the poop on the side of the ship. I clung to the rail on the outside of the ship. I was wondering what next to do, and was changing some things from one pocket to another when she went."
The Titanic seemed to stand motionless against the sky. The only sound were the screams and cries of the people still on her decks. Many passengers remembered hearing noises that were being their own comprehension. From crashes, to explosions. At the angle that the Titanic was at, the best bet was that everything movable within her hull began sliding down towards the bow of the ship. From the beautiful white china with the White Star emblem to the crates in her hold. Major Arthur Peuchen in lifeboat number 6 remembered hearing the noises.
Titanic's slanting grows and everything loose crashes forward
"Sort of a rumbling sound. It was not a sharp sound -- more of a rumbling kind of sound, but still sharp at the same time. It would not be as loud as a clap of thunder, or anything that way, or like a boiler explosion, I should not think."
With a flicker, the lights that had been glowing for so long finally gave out and plunged the people in the boats into darkness. Still, the Titanic's looming hulk could be seen blacker than the blackness of the night. To many, it seemed to look like a finger pointing towards heaven. Lawrence Beesley watched as, at 2:20 am, the Titanic: the mightiest vessel of her time, and the symbol of man's supposed dominance over nature, surrendered to the sea.
"As she swung up, her lights, which had shone without a flicker all night, went out suddenly, came back on again for a single flash, then went out altogether...Then, first sinking back a little at the stern, I thought, she slid slowly forwards through the water and dived slantingly down; the sea closed over her and we had seen the last of the beautiful ship."