Shipwrecks -- North Atlantic Ocean -- History -- 20th century; Titanic (Steamship)
He had actually turned our boat around, but he changed his mind and
went back. The Japanese was hauled on board, and one of the women
rubbed his chest, while others chafed his hands and feet. In less time
than it takes to tell, he opened his eyes. He spoke to us in his own
tongue; then, seeing that we did not understand, he struggled to his
feet, stretched his arms above his head, stamped his feet and in five
minutes or so had almost recovered his strength. One of the sailors
near to him was so tired that he could hardly pull his oar. The
Japanese bustled over, pushed him from his seat, took his oar and
worked like a hero until we were finally picked up. I saw Mr. Lowe
watching him in open-mouthed surprise.
“By Jove!” muttered the officer, “I’m ashamed of what I said about the
little blighter. I’d save the likes o’ him six times over if I got the
chance.”
* * * * *
Miss Minahan’s affidavit (Am. Inq., p. 1109):
After the _Titanic_ went down the cries were horrible. Some of the
women implored Officer Lowe of No. 10 to divide his passengers among
the three other boats and go back to rescue them. His first answer to
these requests was: “You ought to be d---- glad you are here and have
got your own life.” After some time he was persuaded to do as he was
asked. As I came up to him to be transferred to the other boat, he
said: “Jump, G--d d--n you, jump.” I had shown no hesitancy and was
waiting until my turn. He had been so blasphemous during the hours we
were in his boat that the women in my end of the boat all thought he
was under the influence of liquor. (Testimony elsewhere shows that
Officer Lowe is a teetotaler.) Then he took all the men who had rowed
No. 14, together with the men from other boats, and went back to the
scene of the wreck. We were left with a steward and a stoker to row
our boat, which was crowded. The steward did his best, but the stoker
refused at first to row, but finally helped two men who were the only
ones pulling on that side. It was just four o’clock when we sighted
the _Carpathia_, and we were three hours getting to her. On the
_Carpathia_ we were treated with every kindness and given every
comfort possible.
* * * * *
The above affidavit being of record shows Officer Lowe in an
unfortunate, bad light. There is no doubt of it that he was
intemperate in his language only. In all other respects he was a
first-class officer, as proven by what he accomplished. But I am glad
that I have the account of another lady passenger in the same boat,
which is a tribute to what he did. I met Officer Lowe in Washington
the time that both of us were summoned before the U. S. Court of
Inquiry, and I am quite sure that the only point against him is that
he was a little hasty in speech in the accomplishment of his work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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