Page 49 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

12062. Now the gentleman you now know as Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon was sitting on the same thwart with you? - Yes. 12063. Did he take any part in this conversation? - No. 12064. When the lady, whichever the lady was, said you would be swamped if you went back, was there anything more said by anybody? - No one said anything else. 12065. But you say two of the gentlemen passengers agreed with the lady? - They said it would be very dangerous. 12066. What did you think yourself? - It would be dangerous. 12067. You thought it would be. Now, what order was given or what was done at this time, or just after? - An order was given to row away. 12068. Who gave that order? - The coxswain - to row away on our oars. 12069. “Row away on your oars.” That would be Symons said that? - Yes. 12070. How long was that after the suggestion had been made about going back? - Well, I could not say. 12071. Well, did anything happen in the interval? - No. 12072. And did you row away? - On my oar, Sir. 12073. That means row away from where the ship had sunk? - No, it means row away with your oar. 12074. You mean “go on rowing”? - Yes. 12075. In what direction did you row? - I could not tell you. 12076. Of course it would be the coxswain who was steering, but did you or did you not follow the suggestion to return to the place where the ship had sunk? - I was willing with anyone else. 12077. Yes, but what happened to the boat? - Which boat? 12078. The boat you were in? - Nothing. 12079. An order was given to go on rowing? - Yes. 12080. So you moved your boat? - Yes. 12081. And this was after the suggestion that the boat should return? - Yes. 12082. Now, did it return, or did it go further away? - I cannot tell you. It was after the ship had gone. 12083. I think we can probably find it out in this way. When the “Titanic” sank, did you hear the cries of people in the water? - Yes. 12084. Did you hear them clearly? - No. 12085. Loudly? - No. 12086. Could not you hear them clearly? - No. 12087. What do you mean? - Well, it was not a clear sound. 12088. There was no doubt about the cries, was there? - No, no doubt about the cries. 12089. Could everybody in your boat hear them? - Yes. 12090. Were those cries going on when there was the talk in the boat as to whether you should go back? Just think. Were those cries going on when there was talk in the boat as to whether you should go back? - I could not say. 12091. Just think a minute? - No, I cannot remember. 12092. You have told me that the suggestion about going back was just after the “Titanic” sank? - Yes. 12093. Did not you hear the cries directly after the “Titanic” sank? - Yes. 12094. Now try again. Were those cries going on at the time of the talk as to whether you should go back? - I could not say. 12095. Well, what do you think? - Well, I cannot remember. 12096. Where did the cries come from? - From some direction, Sir. They seemed to come from everywhere, in my version, from the state I was in when I was in that boat.