Page 177 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

3406. You went down there? - Yes. 3407. And whom did you find there? - All the boys were in bed when I went down there. 3408. Who are the “boys”? - All the stewards. They are called “boys.” 3409. After you had gone there, did you go up again? - I went up again, and I walked up through the companion, and I saw Mr. Latimer, the Chief Steward. You could not make any mistake about him, he was too big. There was Mr. McElroy and the purser standing by the officers, and two or three officers on C deck. 3410. Had you a lifebelt then? - I had no lifebelt then. I went down for it after. 3411. You had gone down and fetched your clothes, but you did not bring your lifebelt? - I went down for that after, again. 3412. You had a lifebelt? - Yes. 3413. In your bunk - in your quarters? - Yes, everybody had a lifebelt. 3414. You saw all these people you have mentioned? - Yes. 3415. What happened next? - I went out on the top. I thought I might have made a mistake in the boat station list, and I went to look at it again. I said “I will have a sky again.” 3416. You went to look at the list? - Yes. 3417. Had you seen it before? - Yes, I had seen it on Thursday afternoon. 3418. Where was your list? - In the pantry on the port side, right opposite the chief steward’s office. 3419. Had that been there from the beginning? - It was there from Thursday afternoon. 3420. Do you mean you saw it put up? - I did see it because I went and looked for my name, and I knew where my boat was. 3421. You went and looked at it again? - Yes, I went to make sure I had not made a mistake. 3422. Had you heard any order to go to the boats? - Nothing at all then. I did it on a principle of my own, being Scotch, I suppose. 3423. Then did you see what your boat was? - I went and had a look at it. 3424. What was it? - One of the small boats - the emergency boat No. 2. 3425. That is on the port side? - Yes, abaft the bridge. 3426. Was it slung? - It was slung out outside the rails. It was all right when I saw it. 3427. Do I understand you went up there then? - Yes, I had a look round, and I spoke to one man. I should know him if I saw him again. I looked in the boat to see if the plug and everything was right. I came out again and stood by for a bit, and the second steward said to me, “Hold this.” It was his lifebelt and his dustcoat. I never saw him after that. I suppose he went West. 3428. When you got up to the boat this first time were there many people up there? - There were not many people wanted to go in at all, because they all wanted to travel. They seemed to travel in heaps. 3429. Were there plenty of people on the boat deck? - Yes, plenty, but they would not go into our boat. 3430. Were the crew mustering there at the boats? - I think Mr. Wilde asked, “What boat do you belong to” I said, “No. 2.” I am sure he had the list because he said, “That is right.” He said, “Can you pull” I said, “Certainly.” He said, “Stand by the falls.” 3431. Did you stand there by the falls? - I stood a little bit longer. 3432. You said you went to get your lifebelt. When did you do that? - I went for my overcoat down below again. The Chief Steward told me to get upon deck, and go to my boat again. By that time the water was coming to the foot of the companion - 3433. One moment; was it after that that Mr. Wilde spoke to you? - Yes, after that I went down for my coat. 3434. And you came up again? - Yes. 3435. Did you go to your boat again? - Certainly.