midday
But , when she saw Hazel pushing them aside , and patting a very small cub on the back , she recovered her courage completely . Then he took to his oars again ; and aided by the tide , which was now on the ebb , he rowed round the southwestern extremity of the island . He found the water here , as he anticipated , very shallow . It was midday when they were fairly on the southern coast ; and now , sailing with the wind aft , the cutter ran through the water at racing speed . Fearing that some reefs or rocky formations might exist in their course , he reduced sail , and kept away from the shore about a mile . At this distance he was better able to see inland , and mark down the accident of its formation . The southern coast was uniform , and Helen said it resembled the cliffs of the Kentish or Sussex coast of England , only the English white was here replaced by the pale volcanic gray .