▁the ▁wheel house , ▁the ▁mate ' s ▁house , ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁wooden ▁ship ' s ▁bridge , ▁taking ▁with ▁them ▁the ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁four ▁crew ▁members , ▁none ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁ever ▁seen ▁again . ▁ ▁Command ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁thereby ▁de vol ved ▁upon ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁third ▁officer , ▁Charles ▁R ivers , ▁but ▁R ivers , ▁apparently ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁shock , ▁proved ▁in cap able ▁of ▁action . ▁Fort un ately , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁small ▁complement ▁of ▁passengers , ▁Corn el ius ▁L . ▁Br ady , ▁was ▁a ▁ships ' ▁master ▁himself ▁with ▁recent ▁experience ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁crisis . ▁Br ady ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁hero ▁in ▁the ▁ship w reck ▁of ▁the ▁SS ▁Atlantic ▁less ▁than ▁a ▁year ▁prior , ▁where ▁his ▁courage ous ▁action ▁in ▁personally ▁establish ing ▁a ▁ro pe ▁to ▁shore ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁saving ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 2 5 0 ▁lives . ▁Now ▁he ▁was ▁now ▁about ▁to ▁lead ▁another ▁rescue ▁effort . ▁Br ady ▁quickly ▁ordered ▁the ▁crew ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁dam aged ▁upper ▁forward ▁h atch es ▁with ▁h atch es ▁from ▁the ▁lower ▁deck , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁further ▁flow ▁of ▁water ▁into ▁the ▁ship . ▁A ▁deleg ation ▁of ▁the ▁crew ▁then ▁impl ored ▁Br ady ▁to ▁take ▁command , ▁a ▁proposal ▁which ▁he ▁accepted . ▁Br ady ▁made ▁his ▁way ▁onde ck ▁to ▁the ▁mid ships ▁wheel house , ▁where ▁he ▁ordered