3:30 a.m. on the 8th of October
This exciting little episode over , Jim and his consort resumed their patrol of the harbour until daylight , when their long and trying vigil ceased . The ships finished coaling by five o'clock in the afternoon of the new day , and immediately stood out to sea , much to Douglas 's relief , for he felt that another night like the last would have been too much for him . Once outside the harbour , the two ironclads turned their heads to the south again ; and Riveros made the signal that Antofagasta was to be their next port of call . It was 3:30 a.m. on the 8th of October when Jim was awakened by a stentorian cry from the deck of `` Two ships ahead ! '' Galvanised into alertness he listened intently , and heard the officer of the watch calmly reply , `` Where away ? '' There was a short pause , and then the seaman answered , `` Three points on our port bow . They are hull-down ; but there are two columns of smoke approaching at a great speed from the south-east .