ten o'clock
Besides , there was the officer of the watch , who would keep all the lookout required on such a brilliantly fine night . And , arguing thus , he settled himself comfortably into the position vacated by his predecessor , and , folding his arms across his breast , tranquilly composed himself to sleep . The remainder of the watch had settled down to sleep , as a matter of course ; _ they _ had not the lookout ; and they were within call of the officer of the watch , should their services be required ; that , they considered , was all that was just then expected of them ; and they closed their eyes , and yielded to their feelings of drowsiness without a shadow of compunction . Thus , by half-past ten o'clock that night , the entire ship 's company of the _ Aurora _ , fore and aft , were fast asleep . Whilst all hands were thus wrapped in peaceful oblivion a small object gradually merged into view immediately ahead of the _ Aurora _ . Had the lookout man been broad awake -- instead of fast asleep , as he was -- he would certainly not have noticed this object until it was within a mile of the ship -- unless his gaze had happened to have been attracted by an occasional momentary flashing gleam of silvery light -- because its colour so artfully matched the delicate steely blue grey of the gently-rippled sea that it was absolutely invisible beyond that distance . Even at the distance of _ half _ a mile a cursory careless glance ahead might have easily missed it .