about four
in the afternoon
I expected the breeze would have freshened as the day broke , but I was disappointed ; it fell , towards six o'clock , nearly calm . Come , thought I , we may as well go to breakfast ; and my guests and I forthwith sat down to our morning meal . Soon after , the wind died away altogether -- and `` out sweeps '' was the word ; but I soon saw we had no chance with the chase at this game , and as to attacking him with the boats , it was entirely out of the question ; neither could I , in the prospect of a battle , afford to murder the people , by pulling all day under a roasting sun , against one who could man his sweeps with relays of slaves , without one of his crew putting a finger to them ; so I reluctantly laid them in , and there I stood looking at him the whole forenoon , as he gradually drew ahead of us . At length I piped to dinner , and the men having finished theirs , were again on deck ; but the calm still continued ; and seeing no chance of it freshening , about four in the afternoon we sat down to ours in the cabin . There was little said ; my friends , although brave and resolute men , were naturally happy to see the brig creeping away from us , as fighting could only bring them danger ; and my own feelings were of that mixed quality , that while I determined to do all I could to bring him to action , it would not have broken my heart had he escaped . We had scarcely finished dinner , however , when the rushing of the water past the run of the little vessel , and the steadiness with which she skimmed along , shewed that the light air had freshened . Presently Tailtackle came down .