nine o'clock
But we had taught the destroyers a lesson , for thenceforth they kept their distance . Examining into our own condition , we discovered that our injuries arising out of the collision amounted to about as much paint scraped off as might be replaced by the contents of a 10-pound tin , while all other damage was so high above the waterline as to make it of no practical account . And we had not a man injured ; so I considered that we had emerged from the encounter very cheaply . It was just half-past nine o'clock , by my watch , when , bursting through the curtains of haze , our battle fleet hove in sight in the south-west quarter , with flags flying , the water leaping and foaming about their cutwaters , and a fine `` white feather '' of steam playing on the top of their waste-pipes , indicating that the stokers were maintaining a full head of steam in the boilers . But -- Japanese luck again -- they were just too late ; for at that moment the Russian fleet entered the protective zone of their shore batteries and , with a very poor attempt at bravado , slowed down to a speed of about six knots , while the _ Sevastopol , Pobieda _ , and _ Peresviet _ came steaming out to meet them . They had managed to escape by the skin of their teeth ; and now , in accordance with the instructions given to the Admiral not to risk his ships by pitting them against the shore batteries , we also were obliged to slow up , and finally to stop our engines . As a matter of fact , the time had come for us to retire ; but evidently everybody was curious to see what would be the result of my mine-laying operations of the preceding night , and by common consent we all lay-to .