seven o'clock
By the arrival of tiffin-time we had drawn far enough down the river to be just meeting the first of the sea knocked up by the strong breeze , and I noticed that already a few of the seats at table that had been occupied at breakfast-time were vacant -- among them that of Lady O'Brien -- but my left-hand neighbour exhibited a thoroughly healthy appetite -- due in part , probably , to her long promenade on deck in the wind and the rain . She was still as stately and distant in manner as ever , however , when I attempted to enter into conversation with her , and I met with such scant encouragement that ere the meal was half over I desisted , leaving to the skipper the task of further entertaining her . By six o'clock that night we were abreast of the buoy which marks Longnose Ledge , when the pilot shifted his helm for the Elbow , and we began to feel in earnest the influence of the short , choppy sea , into which the _ City of Cawnpore _ was soon plunging her sharp stem to the height of the hawse pipes , to the rapidly-increasing discomfort of many of the passengers . By seven o'clock -- which was the dinner-hour -- we were well round the Elbow , and heading to pass inside the Goodwin and through the Downs , with most of our fore-and-aft canvas set ; and now we had not only a pitching but also a rolling motion to contend with ; and although the latter was as yet comparatively slight , it was still sufficient to induce a further number of our cuddy party to seek the seclusion of their cabins , with the result that when we sat down to dinner we did not muster quite a dozen , all told . But among those present was my left-hand neighbour , Miss Onslow , faultlessly attired , and to all appearance as completely at her ease as though she were dining ashore . The general made a gallant effort to occupy his accustomed seat , but the soup proved too much for him , and he was compelled to retreat , muttering something apologetic and not very intelligible about his liver . We remained in tow until the tug had dragged us down abreast the South Foreland , where she left us , taking the pilot with her ; and half an hour later we were heading down Channel under all plain sail to our topgallant-sails .