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American Inquiry
Testimony of Walter Perkis, page 581
Senator
PERKINS. When you went on deck, what was the number
of the boat you were assigned to?
Mr. PERKIS. No. 4.
Senator PERKINS. Who gave
you orders to take to her, Mr. Murdoch?
Mr. PERKIS. No, sir; there
was nobody. The boat was lowered. I lowered No. 4
into the water, and left that boat, and walked aft;
and I came back, and a man that was in the boat, one
of the seamen that was in the boat at the time, sung
out to me, "We need another hand down here." So I
slid down the life line there from the davit into
the boat.
Senator PERKINS. How far is
the distance from the upper deck down to the water?
Mr. PERKIS. About
seventy-odd feet.
Senator PERKINS. And you
went hand over hand down?
Mr. PERKIS. Down the life
line; yes, sir.
Senator PERKINS. It is
quite a distance to go down in that way. You were a
quartermaster?
Mr. PERKIS. Yes, sir.
Senator PERKINS. You had
charge of the boat, did you not?
Mr. PERKIS. I took charge
of the boat after I got in.
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