This also was acknowledged, and the signalling was continued until the whole message was completed, thus:
“Same tonnage as—”
“Ourselves—”
“Hull—”
“Painted—”
“All black—”
“Steering west-north-west?”
The final string of flags then disappeared, and the Vestale’s answering pennant directly afterwards showed just above her topgallant yard, indicating that she had completed her signal and awaited our reply.
The entire signal then, freely interpreted, ran thus:
“Have you sighted a brig of the same tonnage (or size) as ourselves, with hull painted all black, steering a west-north-west course?”