New York, April 19.- Mrs. C.F. Crane of Fort Sheridan, Ill, a passenger on the Carpathia, today gave this graphic account of the Carpathia's thrilling race with death. She said that news of the disaster had become known to the passengers on board the Cunard boat, and that scores of men and women were lined along the deck watching for the first sight of the crippled Titanic.

"With the aid of powerful glasses," Mrs. Crane continued, "we soon sighted the lifeboats. The first to come into view wa manned by women. Passengers and seamen on the Carpathia were stunned. 'She has sunk,' said an officer of the ship who stood near me. And then I realized for the first time that many lives had been lost.

"As the Carpathia slowed up, the women at the oars of the first boat did not seem to be the least bit excited. They were taken on board the Carpathia and their calmness was remarkable. Not one of the women was crying and not one of them showed any nervousness.

"It was a remarkable thing- the calmness of those women. Some were thinly clad while others were dressed in evening gowns. Other boats came into view. It seemed as though they were coming from behind icebergs. And the women in the boats were too dazed to realize their situation. Some of the boats were only half filled, and the men who had been rowing were completely exhausted. When all the boats had been picked up and there were no others in sight, the first outburst of grief was heard."