Page 32 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

11691. From Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon? - No, Sir, I heard nothing. 11692. Either a present or a gift of money? - I only know I heard that they took my name, and I understood from the other fireman they were to send a wire to our parents. 11693. They were to send a wire to your parents? - That is what the other fireman said. Of course, I did not know the fireman’s name at the time. 11694. Did you hear Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon say anything at all in the boat? - No, Sir; I heard Sir Cosmo say nothing. 11695 How many hours were you in the boat before you were picked up by the “Carpathia”? - It must have been five or more. 11696. Did you hear any of the crew say anything? - No, Sir; they only gave a bit of a cheer when they sighted the “Carpathia” first. 11697. Are we to understand from you that during the whole time you were in the boat nothing was ever said until a cheer was raised when you saw the “Carpathia”? - There may have been a conversation among themselves, but I heard nothing. 11698. You did not hear it? - No. They may have been speaking among themselves. 11699. There may have been conversation going on without your hearing it? Is that what you mean? - Yes. 11700. Were not you surprised that nobody suggested that you should go back to pick up the people who were drowning? - Yes, I was rather surprised. 11701. You were rather surprised? - Yes. 11702. Were you looking towards the “Titanic”? Were you facing towards the “Titanic” or away from her when you were rowing? - How do you mean? 11703. When you were steering in the boat? - When I was steering away from the boat my back was turned. I was watching the “Titanic.” 11704. Then, when you stopped and lay on your oars were you facing the “Titanic” then? - The boat was not. The boat was pulling away, but I myself was facing the “Titanic.” I was watching the ship. 11705. When you heard the cries were you facing the vessel - or, rather, facing the place where the “Titanic” had been? - No, Sir; our stern was to the place then. 11706. Your back was turned? - Yes, we were a good way away at that time. 11707. And the other people would be looking towards the place? - The people that was rowing would be, Sir. 11708. That would be Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon; he would be facing you? - I could not say. I could not see. You could not discern the people in the dark. 11709. You could not tell which way he was facing? - No. 11710. I would just like to understand the end of your story about this. You continued rowing and resting, as I understand, laying on the oars - that is the crew in the boat? - Yes. 11711. Until you sighted the “Carpathia”? - No. After we continued rowing, as I have said, we came back again. I stated that just now. 11712. Did you row towards the light that you had mentioned? - We were rowing for the light. The light was bearing roughly on our port beam when we were rowing away from the ship. 11713. And did you row towards it? - Yes, Sir, rowing after it. 11714. But it disappeared? - Yes. 11715. Did you appear to be catching it up at all? - No. I thought my own self she was gradually going away from us. 11716. Do you remember what time you were picked up by the “Carpathia”? - That I could not say. 11717. It was, of course, after daybreak? - Yes, a good time after daybreak. 11718. I see you gave evidence in America? - Yes, and there is one mistake there that I should