six in the evening
I make no doubt it took them much longer to get back again ; for it was certain not one of them had reappeared in England six months from that day . We now had the ship to ourselves , though with a very diminished crew . The day was the time to sleep ; and relieving each other at the wheel , those who were off duty , slept most of the time , when they were not eating . At six in the evening , however , all hands were up , making our preparations for the night . At that hour , the wind was steady and favourable ; the horizon clear of vessels of every sort , and the prospects of a pleasant night were sufficiently good . The run in the course of the day was equal to one hundred miles , and I computed the distance to Brest , at something less than four hundred miles . By getting in nearer with the land , I should have the option of standing for any French port I pleased , that lay between Cherbouig and Bayonne .