about midnight
Our passengers were in a very sad state of destitution and sickness . Fever soon broke out among them , and it spread rapidly among our crew . We quickly were doomed also to experience another of the numerous ills which seamen are heirs to . This was a gale of wind which sprung up about midnight from the south-east , catching us most completely on a lee-shore . We had made but little offing , and every minute the wind increased , and we , I saw , were drifting closer and closer onto the coast of Long Island . Captain Hudson , Mr Willis , and Mr Flood , the master , were in earnest consultation . `` What will you give for our chance of saving the ship ? ''