Page 36 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 6 - 9
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Yes. 6020. Now we just want to finish your experience. You say you went below after No. 10 had gone. Did you stay below or did you go up again? - I went down to my room and had a drop of liqueur that I had down there, and then while I was there I saw the old doctor and spoke to him and then I came upstairs again. 6021. On to the boat deck? - Yes, on to the boat deck. 6022. Just tell us shortly what you did? - I saw that all the boats had gone - I saw that all the boats were away. 6023. That all the boats had gone? - Yes, that all the boats had gone. 6024. Do you mean forward as well as aft? - I could not see very well forward, and I did not look, because they went off first, as far as I could understand. 6025. At all events, all the boats had gone? - Yes. 6026. Yes, what next? - I went down on to “B” deck. The deck chairs were lying right along, and I started throwing deck chairs through the large ports. 6027. What did you do with the deck chairs? - I threw them through the large ports. 6028. Threw them overboard? - Yes. 6029. They would float, I suppose? - Yes. 6030. I think one sees why. Just to make it clear, why did you do that? - It was an idea of my own. 6031. Tell us why; was it to give something to cling to? - I was looking out for something for myself, Sir. 6032. Quite so. Did you throw a whole lot of them overboard? - I should say about 50. 6033. Were other people helping you to do it? - I did not see them. 6034. You were alone, as far as you could see? - There was other people on the deck, but I did not see anybody else throwing chairs over. 6035. Now by this time was the list of the ship the same, or do you think she was worse? - She had gone a little more to port. 6036. And about being down by the head, could you tell at all? - I did not notice anything. I did not notice her being much down by the head. 6037. Do you mean that the list to port was more serious than - ? - I thought so. 6038. Than being down by the head? - I thought so, yes. 6039. Then, after having thrown these deck chairs overboard, did you go up to the boat deck again? - I went to the deck pantry. 6040. Tell us what happened? - I went to the deck pantry, and while I was in there I thought I would take a drink of water, and while I was getting the drink of water I heard a kind of a crash as if something had buckled, as if part of the ship had buckled, and then I heard a rush overhead. 6041. Do you mean a rush of people? - Yes, a rush of people overhead on the deck. 6042. Is the deck pantry on A deck? - Yes. 6043. So that the deck above would be the boat deck? - Yes, I could hear it. 6044. You could hear it? - Yes. 6045. People running - yes? - When I got up on top I could then see them clambering down from those decks. Of course, I was in the tail end of the rush. 6046. (The Commissioner.) Clambering down, climbing down from where? - These rails here and steps. They came down this way. (Showing on model.) 6047. (The Solicitor-General.) They had run along as far aft as they could on the boat deck? - Yes. 6048. Did you see them clambering down to get on to the A deck so as to get further aft? - Their idea was to get on to the poop. 6049. You say that you heard this sound of buckling or crackling. Was it loud; could anybody
