six o'clock in the evening
Once Mr Cole was very nearly giving in , and twice Charley declared he could not go on , and must stay on the rock where we were resting till we could send him aid . We soon showed him that the rock would be covered long before assistance could reach him , and in another instant he was as ready as either of us to proceed . Once I almost gave in , but my companions roused me up , and again I set forward with renewed strength . It was not , however , till six o'clock in the evening that we reached the shore , and as we found ourselves on dry land we staggered up the beach , and the old mate fell down on his knees , and in a way I did not expect of him , thanked the Almighty for the mercy He had shown us . It was a wild , desolate place , with only high rocks about on every side , without trees , and no roads that we could discover to guide us to any habitation . We went on a little way , and then the mate and Charley said they could go no further . I also felt my strength almost exhausted , but I knew that it would not do for all of us to give in , so I roused myself to exertion .