noon
As they entered the Blue Mouth each ship took her appointed station , those which carried the signatories being close together in an isolated group in a little bay almost surrounded by high cliffs in the farthest recesses of the mighty harbour . King Rupert 's armoured yacht all the time lay close inshore , hard by the mouth of the Great Tunnel which runs straight into the mountain from a wide plateau , partly natural rock , partly built up with mighty blocks of stone . Here it is , I am told , that the inland products are brought down to the modern town of Plazac . Just as the clocks were chiming the half-hour before noon this yacht glided out into the expanse of the `` Mouth . '' Behind her came twelve great barges , royally decked , and draped each in the colour of the signatory nation . On each of these the ruler entered with his guard , and was carried to Rupert 's yacht , he going on the bridge , whilst his suite remained on the lower deck . In the meantime whole fleets had been appearing on the southern horizon ; the nations were sending their maritime quota to the christening of `` Balka '' !