about eight o'clock
Shortly after daybreak , a thick fog settled down , completely cutting off the seaward view . In the signal station were General Grant and several members of the Safety Commission . The ransom money was in readiness , and the intention was to pay it over during the morning . At about eight o'clock , heavy firing was heard from the sea . It was too far distant to be accounted for by a supposed renewal of the bombardment by the Spanish ships , even under the assumption that they had thus broken the truce . The watchers at the signal station looked at each other in astonishment , and eagerly waited for the fog to lift . An hour later , the mist began to clear away .