about ten a.m
Now , however , running almost dead before the gale , getting into smoother water at every fathom , she was steady as a rock , allowing us to pursue our greasy avocation in comparative comfort . The gale was still increasing , although now blowing with great fury ; but , to our satisfaction , it was dry and not too cold . Running before it , too , lessened our appreciation of its force ; besides which , we were exceedingly busy clearing away the enormous mass of the junk , which , draining continually , kept the decks running with oil . We started to run up the Straits at about ten a.m. . At two p.m. we suddenly looked up from our toil , our attention called by a sudden lull in the wind . We had rounded Saddle Point , a prominent headland , which shut off from us temporarily the violence of the gale . Two hours later we found ourselves hauling up into the pretty little harbour of Port William , where , without taking more than a couple of hands off the work , the vessel was rounded-to and anchored with quite as little fuss as bringing a boat alongside a ship .