about midnight
He was evidently determined to take no more chances , but , whenever opportunity offered , to follow the example set by the wily old skipper of the CHANCE . The other ships both started to cut-in at once , tempted , doubtless , by the settled appearance of the weather , and also perhaps from their hardly concealed dislike of going into port . We bowled along at a fine rate , towing our prize , that plunged and rolled by our side in eccentric style , almost as if still alive . Along about midnight we reached Saddle Point , where there was some shelter from the sea which rolled up the wide open strait , and there we anchored . Leaving me and a couple of Kanakas on watch , the captain , and all hands besides , went below for a little sleep . My instructions were to call the captain if the weather got at all ugly-looking , so that we might run in to Port William at once , but he did not wish to do so if our present position proved sufficiently sheltered . He had not been below an hour before there was a change for the worse .