about midnight
It was clear , therefore , that our hull was sound , and that in that respect , at all events , with the best -- or rather the worst -- intentions in the world , the pirates had done us little or no harm . Our most serious difficulty was the want of water , Mendouca having literally cleared the ship of every drop she possessed , save some eight or ten gallons in the scuttle-butt , which they had either overlooked , or perhaps had considered not worth taking . But here again it appeared as though God in His infinite mercy had taken compassion on us ; for about noon the wind died away , and I had only just time to take my meridian observation for the latitude when the heavens clouded over , and toward the close of the afternoon we were visited by a terrific thunderstorm accompanied by a perfect deluge of rain , during which , by loosely spreading all the awnings fore and aft , we were enabled to catch a sufficient quantity of water to carry us without stint as far at least as Sierra Leone . It remained calm until about midnight , when a little breeze sprang up from the eastward which enabled us to lay our course nicely while it fanned us along at a speed of about five knots . The next morning broke bright and clear ; and with the first of the light the look-out reported a sail broad on our weather bow . Maxwell , fearing that it might be our old enemy , the _ Francesca _ showing up again , came down at once and called me , stating his fears , and causing me to rush up on the poop just as I had sprung from my cot , quite regardless of appearances , although I could scarcely believe that Mendouca , if indeed we should be so unfortunate as to fall in with him again , would make his appearance in the eastern board . I must confess , however , that when I first reached the deck and beheld the stranger , I experienced a slight qualm of apprehension , for the craft was undoubtedly square-rigged , forward at least , and she was steering as straight as a hair for us , with studding-sails set on both sides , and coming down very fast .