Titanic Survivor Arrived in Ottawa, Syrian Woman's Thrilling Narrative

SHIP'S OFFICERS FIRED INTO STEERAGE PANIC AMID RUSH FOR LIFEBOATS

Mrs. Mariana Aasaf Says Ten People on Doomed Ship Were Bound For Ottawa and But Two Survived. Of 125 Syrians on Board 102 Were Drowned. Sad Story of Gowganda Merchant's Death With Bride He Had Gone to Fetch to Canada From Little Village Home. Broad Street Merchant's Son Was Drowned Also. How Mrs. Aasaf View the Horror of the Catastrophe and Her Rescue.

"I was with the others of my relations and friends, for many of us Syrians on board were known to me, in the steerage, and we had all gone to bed when the ship struck. Although it did not seem to be much at first and we did not feel very much except a jar, some of us wanted to go on deck to see what happened. We were told that everything was all right, and at first we did not think there was danger. But the ship did not go on, then some of us began to think that perhaps they were not telling us the truth and that we might be sinking.

Firing by the Officers

"I think somebody must have said that the boat was going to go down, for suddenly, there was great confusion and everybody tried to rush on deck. There were many in the steerage who tried to rush in the boats and at these, the captain and the other officers fired revolvers and some of them were shot dead. Then the rest were driven back again. They were not given a chance to escape.

"As for me, when I thought the ship might sink, I forgot everything and rushed away from the steerage and up to the deck, where the first class passengers are. I could not think of anything and I never say Mrs. Kareem 1 or any of my other relations, so I do not know what became of them. The last I saw of them was when we were all in the steerage.

"When I ran up to the first class passengers' deck, I saw that the ship must be going to sink and I lost my head. But a man, I think he was one of the sailors, when he saw that I was there, pushed me into one of the boats where there were already many women and a few men. The boat was lowered into the water and then the men rowed it away, for they were afraid that when the big ship went down, it would take them with it. Some of them said the band was playing on the Titanic, but I did not hear it myself. I was so out of my mind. It was an hour-and-a-half after the boat struck before I was put into the small boat. Then the Titanic sank and we drifted about all night. It was terribly cold, and I could never forget all my relations and my friends whom I would never see again and when I thought of them I felt that I was going to go crazy.

"They told me it was only six hours after we left the Titanic that somebody said, 'There is a steamer. We are saved,' and we were taken on board the Carpathia. When the morning came and we rowed around there was so much ice near us that some thought it was the land. But it was only ice, although there were miles of it. When we got on board the Carpathia everybody was very kind to me and gave me clothes to wear, but I do not remember much, for I could hardly think.

"They took me to the Jewish hospital when I got to New York and I got a little better there. Then the United Syrian Society took me and sent me to Ottawa for I told them that was where I was going.

Of those who were coming to Ottawa nearly all were my cousins. When I left Syria to come here again my two sons wanted to go with me, but I would not let them, and I thank God I did not, for if I had they would have been drowned with poor Solomon Kalil 2 and the others. They will be coming out here later with my husband."