Page 165 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

3070. Was he in that boat? - I could not say; I do not know. 3071. Did you have any conversation with them? - No. 3072. Did they make fast? - To the boat behind me. 3073. Was that boat full, as far as you could see? - As far as I could see it was full. 3074. Did you take anybody from that boat? - No. 3075. What happened next? - We were all together. 3076-7. You three? - We saw the lights of the “Carpathia” coming up. We had never seen the light before; I never. I saw an imaginary light which kept showing for about ten minutes. 3078. (The Commissioner.) How do you see an imaginary light? - Well, what we thought was a light. There is such a thing at sea as seeing imaginary lights. 3079. Oh, is there? - Yes. 3080. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) When did you see this imaginary light? I do not mean was it twelve or half-past, but was it while you were on the “Titanic” or after you had left the “Titanic”? - When I had left the “Titanic.” 3081. (The Commissioner.) I do not understand it. Did you imagine that you saw a light? - Yes. 3082. Or did you see a light that you imagined, which? - Well, one way or the other. 3083. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Where was it that you saw what you call this imaginary light? - Off my port bow. 3084. Is that the port bow of your lifeboat? - Yes. 3085. (The Commissioner.) Have you ever seen imaginary lights at sea before? - Yes. 3086. Are they frequent things? - Yes, I have been on the look-out on ships on the forecastle- head, and reported a light, and it has been an imaginary light; as soon as you see it it has gone again. 3087. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) How high above the horizon or above the sea do you think this imaginary light was? Was it low down, or rather high up? - It seemed low. 3088. Low down, near the horizon? - Yes. 3089. What distance did you judge it to be? - A matter of four or five miles. 3090. (The Commissioner.) And what do you think it was? - I could not say. 3091. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) What colour was it? - White. 3092. Might it have been a star, do you think? - Well, it might have been. 3093. You saw no sidelight, did you? - No. 3094. No red or green light? - None whatever. 3095. Was there any general talk in your boat about this imaginary light? - Well, I spoke to the women about this light and said, “We are all right, we shall be picked up in a minute; there is a ship coming.” 3096. Did you hear any explosions? - A slight one. 3097. From the “Titanic” when she sank? - A slight one. 3098. One? - One. 3099. Did you see any rockets sent up from the “Titanic”? - Yes; there were rockets sent up before I left the ship. 3100. And after? - Yes. 3101. I have asked you about any general talk on your boat about the light. Was there any conversation between you and the other boats about this light? - No. 3102. There were three of you all tied together? - Yes. 3103. Nothing was said about this light? - Nothing. 3104. (The Commissioner.) I thought you said to the women in your boat that you could see the light? - Yes, so I did, my Lord. 3105. And told them they would be picked up in a few minutes? - Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: What is it you are asking him about Mr. Aspinall?