Page 101 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

1539. And what men? - Well, I found three men in the boat afterwards, but I never saw them in the boat when she went away. 1540. Did you go away in that boat? - I went away in that boat. 1541. Who were the other men? Were they seamen? - One-quartermaster and two foreigners in the boat. 1542. (The Commissioner.) What do you mean by foreigners - passengers? - Yes. 1543. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Two foreign passengers? - Yes. 1544. Do you know what class they were? - Well, I should think they were third-class. 1545. Then did you push off from the side? - No. 1546. I mean to row away? - The water was there. 1547. Did you row away? - Yes. 1548. You practically floated off the ship? - Yes. 1549. How far off did you go? - Well it was about 100 yards before the first explosion went. It was a very loud report. 1550. You heard an explosion? - Yes. 1551. Then did you row further off again? - Yes. 1552. How many oars had you? - About eight. 1553. Plenty? - Yes. 1554. How many people had you rowing? - Well, I had to ask a couple of women to get hold of an oar. 1555. How many oars had you out altogether? - About four. 1556. Who was in charge of the boat - who was steering? - There was no rudder there. 1557. No rudder at all? - No, I was in charge of the boat. 1558. Did anybody steer with anything? - No. I kept on changing my oar from port to starboard to keep her away as best I could. 1559. You were doing that? - Yes. 1560. You were in command of the boat? - Yes. 1561. Did you see the “Titanic” sink? - Yes. 1562. How far off were you when she sank? - I suppose about 150 yards. 1563. Then it was not very long after you left her that she did sink? - No. 1564. Had you been rowing all the time? - I was not rowing long before she went down. 1565. (The Commissioner.) When you floated in this collapsible boat into the sea were you on the port or the starboard side? - The port side. 1566. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Did you see any light? - Well, I did see a light, a faint sidelight of another ship. 1567. Where away? In what direction? - On my port hand it was then. 1568. You saw a light? - Yes. The Commissioner: A faint sidelight as I understand. 1569. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Where was it? - Off my port hand as I was in the boat. 1570. Do you mean it was a port light? - Was it a red or a green light? - A red light - a sidelight. 1571. Now in what direction from you was it? That is what I wanted to ask - taking the bow of the “Titanic”? - Taking it from here it would be the starboard side. 1572. Broad on the starboard side? - Yes, from her quarter. 1573. What, astern? - No, as she is left now it would be in that direction. 1574. Right out here? - Yes. 1575. Abaft the beam? - Just the same as she is lying now, on her quarter. 1576. That is where you saw the light? - Yes. The Commissioner: Is that where the other man said?