noon
He saw `` the rocks shining in the sun , and three hours later was surprised to find them sunk in the heavens . '' He saw also wharves and immense buildings ; perhaps Dover and its castle . In Hamburg , after breakfast , Mr. Weber , who had now finally `` ceased from troubling '' Samoa , came on board , and carried him ashore `` suitably '' in a steam launch to `` a large house of the government , '' where he stayed till noon . At noon Weber told him he was going to `` the place where ships are anchored that go to Samoa , '' and led him to `` a very magnificent house , with carriages inside and a wonderful roof of glass '' ; to wit , the railway station . They were benighted on the train , and then went in `` something with a house , drawn by horses , which had windows and many decks '' ; plainly an omnibus . Here -LRB- at Bremen or Bremerhaven , I believe -RRB- they stayed some while in `` a house of five hundred rooms '' ; then were got on board the _ Nürnberg _ -LRB- as they understood -RRB- for Samoa , anchored in England on a Sunday , were joined _ en route _ by the famous Dr. Knappe , passed through `` a narrow passage where they went very slow and which was just like a river , '' and beheld with exhilarated curiosity that Red Sea of which they had learned so much in their Bibles . At last , `` at the hour when the fires burn red , '' they came to a place where was a German man-of-war .