three o'clock in the afternoon
By the time that I got aboard , it was noon ; and I at once signalled the transports , asking how soon they could be ready to start . The reply was that , not expecting to be called upon to go to sea so soon , their fires were all out -- but boilers were full and fires laid , and they could have steam in three hours ; whereupon I made the signal to light fires at once , and report when they were ready to move . Then I got into a reclining chair under the awning aft , and , having partaken of a hasty luncheon , treated myself to a snooze , since I expected to be up all night . We all got under way shortly after three o'clock in the afternoon , and , having cleared the harbour , headed away north-west for the Elliot group . The weather was , for a wonder , beautifully fine , no fog , very few clouds , brilliant sunshine , very little wind , and the water as smooth as a mill pond ; consequently we made very good progress , although the speed of the slowest transport was only ten knots , and of course the rest of us had to regulate our pace by hers . Had the weather been threatening I should of course have been anxious , but the barometer stood high , and as even at ten knots the passage would only occupy about thirteen hours , I felt quite easy in my mind . The trip across the Yellow Sea was made without mishap or adventure until we arrived within about twelve miles of our destination .