about four o'clock in the afternoon
Meanwhile the mist had thickened into fog , which rapidly became so dense that we presently lost sight of the enemy altogether . Shrewdly suspecting that the Russians would seize this opportunity to effect their escape , Togo now led his battle-line round in a sweep from North-East to South-West , and then to south for a distance of some eight miles , during which we sighted and shelled the enemy 's cruiser squadron and some of his auxiliary ships heading to the south-west . At this point Togo decided to turn northward again , but before doing so he detached the six armoured cruisers -- of which the _ Yakumo _ was one -- under Admiral Kamimura , with orders to pursue and destroy the ships of which we had just lost sight . This was about four o'clock in the afternoon . By this time the wind had dwindled away to a mere nothing , and the sea had so far gone down that our torpedo craft could keep pace with the larger craft without being swept by seas from stem to stern ; still , the weather continued to be very dismal and dreary , the sky still lowering and overcast , not a solitary gleam of sunshine , and the fog gathering so thickly that it was difficult to see anything beyond a two-mile radius . The heavy gun-firing had by this time died down to nothing ; but a pretty lively cannonade of lighter weapons down in the south-western quarter told us that the engagement between our cruisers and those of the enemy was still proceeding briskly although nothing could be seen . Accordingly , the _ Idzumo _ led her five armoured sisters in that direction , at a speed of fifteen knots .