nine o'clock
The manoeuvres just described brought the brig about three points before our starboard beam and some eight miles to windward of us , both craft being now close-hauled on the starboard tack . There was a strong breeze blowing from the north-east , with a fair amount of sea on , and the day was brilliantly fine , with a rich , clear , crystalline blue sky , dappled here and there with puffs of white trade-cloud sailing solemnly athwart our mastheads ; a splendid day for sailing , and we had the whole of it before us . It soon became apparent that we were gaining upon the brig -- weathering and fore-reaching upon her at the same time ; and as it was now broad daylight , I sent the men to quarters , hoisted our colours , and fired a shotted gun to windward as an invitation to her to heave-to ; but of this she took no notice whatever . By nine o'clock -- at which hour I took an observation of the sun for my longitude -- we had fore-reached upon the brig sufficiently to bring her a couple of points abaft our weather beam , and then , in accordance with the rule for chasing , we tacked again ; whereupon she did the same , thus bringing us right astern and slightly to windward of her . It was now a stern-chase , she being as nearly as possible seven miles ahead of us . The wind held steady , and hour after hour the two craft went plunging along at racing speed , the brigantine gaining steadily all the time , until by one o'clock the chase was within range , and we opened fire upon her with our long eighteen - pounder . Our shot flew close to her on either side , -- as we could see by the jets of water thrown up , -- but it was fully half an hour before we hit her , which we then did fair in the centre of her stern .