four o'clock p.m.
The skipper 's face , however , wore a look of exultant satisfaction , and his demeanour was so much less unpleasant than usual that we felt convinced there was something in the wind ; and all hands settled down accordingly to await , with what patience we could muster , the development of events . It was not , however , until two days later , the 20th of April , that our curiosity was satisfied . A signal from the commodore requesting the captains of the _ Hermione , Quebec , Mermaid , Drake _ , and _ Penelope _ to repair on board him , was the first incident of the day ; and this was followed by a conference so protracted that the gigs ' crews only got back to their ships barely in time for dinner . A most careful and scrupulous inspection of the arm-chest consumed nearly the whole of the afternoon watch ; and finally , at eight bells , or four o'clock p.m. , after a considerable amount of signalling , the ships already named detached themselves from the rest of the squadron , and , under Captain Pigot 's orders , made sail to the westward ; the negro captain being at the same time restored to his command and allowed to proceed on his way . Urged forward by a brisk trade-wind , to which we exposed every possible stitch of canvas , the little squadron made short miles of it , arriving , at three o'clock in the morning , off Port a l'Ecu ; where , at a distance of about a mile off the shore and some two miles from the harbour of Jean Rabel on the one hand , and Port au Paix on the other , the trade - wind encountering the land-breeze , we ran into a calm . A carefully - masked lantern was now exhibited on board the _ Hermione _ , the utmost caution being observed to prevent its light being seen from the shore , and at the same moment our launch , pinnace , and first and second cutters , the two former each carrying a boat 's gun in the bows , were ordered away . To Mr Reid , who , in conjunction with Lieutenant Burdwood of the _ Penelope _ , had been closeted with the skipper for at least two hours previously , was intrusted the command of one division of the boats which was about to be sent away , Lieutenant Burdwood being placed at the head of the other division .