four o’clock P.M
Long , in obedience to the Lieutenant , made bench marks along the beach , that any future change might be easily noted . Hobson was naturally anxious to get back to Fort Hope the same day , and Mrs Barnett was also eager to return to her friends . It was of course desirable under the circumstances that the commanding officer should not be long absent from the fort All haste was therefore made , and by taking a short cut they arrived at noon at the little promontory which formerly protected Port Barnett from the east winds . It was not more than eight miles from this point to Fort Hope , and before four o'clock P.M the shouts of Corporal Joliffe welcomed their return to the factory . CHAPTER V. FROM JULY 25TH TO AUGUST 20TH . Hobson 's first care on his return to the fort , was to make inquiries of Thomas Black as to the situation of the little colony . No change had taken place for the last twenty-four hours , but , as subsequently appeared , the island had floated one degree of latitude further south , whilst still retaining its motion towards the west .