About six o'clock
Among the smaller seaports on the south coast , Rye was one of the most active and enthusiastic ; the broad shallow bay was alive with fishing-boats , and the steep cobbled streets of the town were filled all day with a chattering exultant crowd , cheering every group of seamen that passed , and that spent long hours at the quay watching the busy life of the ships , and predicting the great things that should fall when the Spaniards encountered the townsfolk , should the Armada survive Drake 's onslaught further west . About July the twentieth more definite news began to arrive . At least once a day a courier dashed in through the south-west gate , with news that all must hold themselves ready to meet the enemy by the end of the month ; labour grew more incessant and excitement more feverish . About six o'clock on the evening of the twenty-ninth , as a long row of powder barrels was in process of shipping down on the quay , the men who were rolling them suddenly stopped and listened ; the line of onlookers paused in their comments , and turned round . From the town above came an outburst of cries , followed by the crash of the alarm from the church-tower . In two minutes the quay was empty . Out of every passage that gave on to the main street poured excited men and women , some hysterically laughing , some swearing , some silent and white as they ran .