midnight
At length a day arrived when Captain Roberts , having worked out his observations for the determination of the ship 's latitude and longitude , made the welcome announcement that , if the wind held and all went well , the passengers , by this time thoroughly weary of the -- to most of them -- changeless monotony of sea and sky , might hope to feast their eyes upon the glowing picture of a South African landscape within the ensuing twenty-four hours ; and at once everybody became cheerfully busy upon the task of packing up in preparation for the joyous moment when they might exchange the eternal movement of the rocking deck for terra firma , and rejoice once more in the sight of trees and grass and flowers , of busy streets , and of the much-talked-of beauties of suburban Berea . Dick Maitland 's possessions were so few that they needed very little packing to prepare them for transit from ship to shore , and when he had finished he adjourned to Grosvenor 's cabin to assist that gentleman , who , since dispensing with the services of a valet , seemed quite incapable of replacing his possessions in the receptacles from which he had taken them upon the beginning of the voyage . The remainder of the day was passed in the animated discussion of future plans and arrangements , while one effect of the imminent termination of the long ocean voyage was the sudden development of an amazing access of cordiality between people who had hitherto manifested but little interest in each other , accompanied by pressing invitations to `` come and stay a few days at my place whenever you happen to be in the neighbourhood '' . Also a few of the more enthusiastic occupants of the cuddy remained on deck until midnight , in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Bluff light before turning in , only to retire to their cabins , discontented and grumbling , because at eight bells the gleam still obstinately refused to appear on the horizon over the port bow , where Mr Sutcliffe , the chief mate , had been anxiously watching for it . But full compensation came to the disappointed ones when , awakened on the following morning about six o'clock by the voice of the mate issuing certain sharp orders from the poop , followed by the flinging down of ropes upon the deck and the cheery `` yo ho 's '' of the sailors , as they threw their weight upon various portions of the ship 's running gear , the said disappointed ones leaped from their bunks and hastened out on deck clad only in pyjamas and overcoats ; for they found the ship hove-to on the starboard tack with her head to the eastward , while stretching away astern of them , from the starboard to the port quarter , was the dominating eminence of the Bluff , bush-clad from base to crest , crowned with its lighthouse and signal staff -- from the latter of which was fluttering the answering pennant , acknowledging the deciphering of the _ Concordia 's _ number -- with the long breakwater jutting out into the sea from its foot , while , nearer at hand , there stretched across the scene the low outline of the Point , also bush-crowned , with the roofs of a few houses and a flagstaff or two showing above the verdure , the sandy beach , with the eternal surf thundering upon it in long lines of rainbow spray , reaching for mile after mile athwart the ship 's stern , and for background the far-stretching ridge of the bush-clad , villa-studded range of the Berea , the windows of its houses already ablaze with the ardent beams of the newly risen sun . The prospect is a charming one at any time , but never more so perhaps than when it is suddenly presented , fresh , green , and beautiful , in the clear atmosphere and the light of early morning , to the vision of those whose eyes , after seventy days of gazing upon sky and sea , are yearning to behold once more the beauties of the solid earth . For a full hour the ship remained hove-to with her head to seaward , during which an early breakfast was served to the occupants of the cuddy ; then , upon the appearance of the tug coming out over the bar , the _ Concordia _ wore round and headed inshore , the light sails were rapidly clewed up or hauled down , the towline was got ready for passing , and in a moment everything was bustle and apparent confusion upon the ship 's decks , barefooted seamen rushing hither and thither , flinging down coils of rope on deck , casting off halyards and sheets , and dragging vociferously upon clew-garnets , clewlines , downhauls , and the other complicated paraphernalia of a ship 's furniture , with the captain shouting orders from the poop , and the mate in charge of a gang of men on the forecastle getting the anchor a-cockbill ready for letting go , and preparing for the arrival of the tug alongside .