Page 59 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

come back when called? - That is right. 12334. Did you proceed to row a little way off? - Yes. 12335. Where were you sitting? - In the bow of the boat. 12336. Did you see the “Titanic” go down? - No. 12337. Was your back to it? - No, I never saw it go down at all. 12338. Did you hear cries? - Yes. 12339. And when you heard cries you knew that they were cries from persons who had gone down in the “Titanic”? - Yes, I heard them, but I did not know whether they were from the other boats or from the ship. 12340-1. You did not know? - No. 12342. But you heard cries which you knew came from people in the water who were screaming for help? - Yes. 12343. Were you rowing? - Yes. 12344. Right in the bow? - Yes. 12345. So all except the coxswain would have their backs to you in the boat? - We were all facing the coxswain; those pulling were facing the coxswain. 12346. Then they would all have their backs to you except the coxswain. Do you remember how far you had rowed before the “Titanic” went down - before you heard the cries? - No, I could not say the exact time. 12347. Nor the exact distance, perhaps? - No. 12348. When you heard the cries did you hear anything said as to whether you were to go back or not? - No, nothing at all said. 12349. Do you mean from first to last nothing was said? - From first to last. 12350. Did you hear anybody suggest that you should go back to the people who were crying for help? - No. 12351. Do you mean that not one of you said anything about it? - No one suggested it at all. I never heard anybody suggest anything. 12352. Did you hear anybody say that if you did you might get swamped? - No, I did not hear anything at all, no suggestion whatever. I never heard any conversation at all. 12353. Did you hear anybody give any reason why you should not go back and pick up the people who were drowning? - No. 12354. Did you hear any conversation at all about it? - No. 12355. Was anything said by anybody? - I could not say. 12356. I only want to understand what you mean. It may be that you do not remember. Is that what you mean? - I do not remember anybody saying anything about it. 12357. You told me just now you did not see the “Titanic” go down? - No. 12358. Were you looking towards the “Titanic,” or away from her? - I was looking to the coxswain. I had to obey the orders of the coxswain of the boat, and I did not have time to do anything but pull my oar. 12359. I do not quite understand what you mean. You heard the cries of the people who were in the water? - Yes. 12360. And were you rowing at the time? - Yes. 12361. Do you mean that no notice was taken of the cries by anybody on board? - I could not say; I had to obey the orders of the coxswain of the boat. 12362. I am not asking that; I understand that, of course, you would do what you were told by the man in charge of the boat? - That is right. 12363. I am not asking you about that; I want to know what happened? - We saw a light on the port bow of the ship, and we went to pull towards the light. The Commissioner: That is the white light, I understand?