HAD DIFFICULTY REACHING DECK
When I reached the alleyway it was so steep, due to the way the ship was canted, that my efforts to climb up were rendered impossible by the carpet, which I was clinging to, breaking away. I then scrambled up, and managed to get my head through a port-hole, but I was unable to get my shoulders through. At that time the ship was lying almost flat in the water on her starboard side, and a passenger who was standing on the plated side of the ship finally managed to pull me through the port-hole.
About a hundred passengers were standing on the side of the ship at the time, and a moment after I had joined them the ship took another list and plunged to the bottom. I next found myself in the water, and swam towards the lights of the steamer Storstad, and when nearly exhausted from the struggle and the exposure I was picked up by a life-boat, which went on to the scene of the disaster, and was loaded with survivors, who were pulled out of the water and taken on board the Storstad. Then we were heated and wrapped in blankets, and I was provided with the clothes which I now wear, and which enabled me to do what I could to help the other survivors.