three o'clock in the afternoon
They went along none the less merrily for the sound to Djezzar Pacha 's garden , where the old Turk sate on his carpet , beneath the shade of a great terebinth tree , listening to the interpreter , who made known to him the meaning of the eager speeches of Sir Sidney Smith and the colonel of the marines . As soon as the admiral saw the gallant sailors of H.M.S. _ Tigre _ , he interrupted the council of war without much ceremony , and going to Kinraid , he despatched them , as before arranged , to the North Ravelin , showing them the way with rapid , clear directions . Out of respect to him , they had kept silent while in the strange , desolate garden ; but once more in the streets , the old Newcastle song rose up again till the men were , perforce , silenced by the haste with which they went to the post of danger . It was three o'clock in the afternoon . For many a day these very men had been swearing at the terrific heat at this hour -- even when at sea , fanned by the soft breeze ; but now , in the midst of hot smoke , with former carnage tainting the air , and with the rush and whizz of death perpetually whistling in their ears , they were uncomplaining and light-hearted . Many an old joke , and some new ones , came brave and hearty , on their cheerful voices , even though the speaker was veiled from sight in great clouds of smoke , cloven only by the bright flames of death . A sudden message came ; as many of the crew of the _ Tigre _ as were under Lieutenant Kinraid 's command were to go down to the Mole , to assist the new reinforcements -LRB- seen by the sailor from the masthead at day-dawn -RRB- , under command of Hassan Bey , to land at the Mole , where Sir Sidney then was .