When the fleet came in sight there were four Russian ships in port, and a few shots were exchanged, none of them taking effect.

During a heavy fog in the following night and day the Russians escaped and ascended the Straits of Tartary toward the Amoor.

The Aurora, the largest of these ships, threw away her guns, anchors, and every heavy article, and succeeded in entering the Amoor.

The English lay near De Castries, and could not understand where the Russians had gone, as the southern entrance of the Amoor was then unknown to geographers.
We reached this port on the morning of September eleventh.

The Variag could go no further owing to her draft of water, but fortunately the Morje, a gunboat of the Siberian fleet, was to sail for Nicolayevsk at noon, and we were happily disappointed in our expectations of waiting several days at De Castries.