six o'clock in the evening
* * * * * -LSB- _ Various particulars of the prolonged and perplexed navigation ensuing here follow , with incidents of a calamitous calm , from which portion one passage is extracted , to wit _ :] -- That on the fifth day of the calm , all on board suffering much from the heat , and want of water , and five having died in fits , and mad , the negroes became irritable , and for a chance gesture , which they deemed suspicious -- though it was harmless -- made by the mate , Raneds , to the deponent in the act of handing a quadrant , they killed him ; but that for this they afterwards were sorry , the mate being the only remaining navigator on board , except the deponent . * * * * * -- That omitting other events , which daily happened , and which can only serve uselessly to recall past misfortunes and conflicts , after seventy-three days ' navigation , reckoned from the time they sailed from Nasca , during which they navigated under a scanty allowance of water , and were afflicted with the calms before mentioned , they at last arrived at the island of Santa Maria , on the seventeenth of the month of August , at about six o'clock in the afternoon , at which hour they cast anchor very near the American ship , Bachelor 's Delight , which lay in the same bay , commanded by the generous Captain Amasa Delano ; but at six o'clock in the morning , they had already descried the port , and the negroes became uneasy , as soon as at distance they saw the ship , not having expected to see one there ; that the negro Babo pacified them , assuring them that no fear need be had ; that straightway he ordered the figure on the bow to be covered with canvas , as for repairs and had the decks a little set in order ; that for a time the negro Babo and the negro Atufal conferred ; that the negro Atufal was for sailing away , but the negro Babo would not , and , by himself , cast about what to do ; that at last he came to the deponent , proposing to him to say and do all that the deponent declares to have said and done to the American captain ; * * * * * * * that the negro Babo warned him that if he varied in the least , or uttered any word , or gave any look that should give the least intimation of the past events or present state , he would instantly kill him , with all his companions , showing a dagger , which he carried hid , saying something which , as he understood it , meant that that dagger would be alert as his eye ; that the negro Babo then announced the plan to all his companions , which pleased them ; that he then , the better to disguise the truth , devised many expedients , in some of them uniting deceit and defense ; that of this sort was the device of the six Ashantees before named , who were his bravoes ; that them he stationed on the break of the poop , as if to clean certain hatchets -LRB- in cases , which were part of the cargo -RRB- , but in reality to use them , and distribute them at need , and at a given word he told them ; that , among other devices , was the device of presenting Atufal , his right hand man , as chained , though in a moment the chains could be dropped ; that in every particular he informed the deponent what part he was expected to enact in every device , and what story he was to tell on every occasion , always threatening him with instant death if he varied in the least : that , conscious that many of the negroes would be turbulent , the negro Babo appointed the four aged negroes , who were calkers , to keep what domestic order they could on the decks ; that again and again he harangued the Spaniards and his companions , informing them of his intent , and of his devices , and of the invented story that this deponent was to tell ; charging them lest any of them varied from that story ; that these arrangements were made and matured during the interval of two or three hours , between their first sighting the ship and the arrival on board of Captain Amasa Delano ; that this happened about half-past seven o'clock in the morning , Captain Amasa Delano coming in his boat , and all gladly receiving him ; that the deponent , as well as he could force himself , acting then the part of principal owner , and a free captain of the ship , told Captain Amasa Delano , when called upon , that he came from Buenos Ayres , bound to Lima , with three hundred negroes ; that off Cape Horn , and in a subsequent fever , many negroes had died ; that also , by similar casualties , all the sea officers and the greatest part of the crew had died . * * * * * -LSB- _ And so the deposition goes on , circumstantially recounting the fictitious story dictated to the deponent by Babo , and through the deponent imposed upon Captain Delano ; and also recounting the friendly offers of Captain Delano , with other things , but all of which is here omitted . After the fictitious story , etc. the deposition proceeds _ :] * * * * * -- that the generous Captain Amasa Delano remained on board all the day , till he left the ship anchored at six o'clock in the evening , deponent speaking to him always of his pretended misfortunes , under the fore-mentioned principles , without having had it in his power to tell a single word , or give him the least hint , that he might know the truth and state of things ; because the negro Babo , performing the office of an officious servant with all the appearance of submission of the humble slave , did not leave the deponent one moment ; that this was in order to observe the deponent 's actions and words , for the negro Babo understands well the Spanish ; and besides , there were thereabout some others who were constantly on the watch , and likewise understood the Spanish ; * * * that upon one occasion , while deponent was standing on the deck conversing with Amasa Delano , by a secret sign the negro Babo drew him -LRB- the deponent -RRB- aside , the act appearing as if originating with the deponent ; that then , he being drawn aside , the negro Babo proposed to him to gain from Amasa Delano full particulars about his ship , and crew , and arms ; that the deponent asked `` For what ? '' that the negro Babo answered he might conceive ; that , grieved at the prospect of what might overtake the generous Captain Amasa Delano , the deponent at first refused to ask the desired questions , and used every argument to induce the negro Babo to give up this new design ; that the negro Babo showed the point of his dagger ; that , after the information had been obtained the negro Babo again drew him aside , telling him that that very night he -LRB- the deponent -RRB- would be captain of two ships , instead of one , for that , great part of the American 's ship 's crew being to be absent fishing , the six Ashantees , without any one else , would easily take it ; that at this time he said other things to the same purpose ; that no entreaties availed ; that , before Amasa Delano 's coming on board , no hint had been given touching the capture of the American ship : that to prevent this project the deponent was powerless ; * * * -- that in some things his memory is confused , he can not distinctly recall every event ; * * * -- that as soon as they had cast anchor at six of the clock in the evening , as has before been stated , the American Captain took leave , to return to his vessel ; that upon a sudden impulse , which the deponent believes to have come from God and his angels , he , after the farewell had been said , followed the generous Captain Amasa Delano as far as the gunwale , where he stayed , under pretense of taking leave , until Amasa Delano should have been seated in his boat ; that on shoving off , the deponent sprang from the gunwale into the boat , and fell into it , he knows not how , God guarding him ; that -- * * * * * -LSB- _ Here , in the original , follows the account of what further happened at the escape , and how the San Dominick was retaken , and of the passage to the coast ; including in the recital many expressions of `` eternal gratitude '' to the `` generous Captain Amasa Delano . '' The deposition then proceeds with recapitulatory remarks , and a partial renumeration of the negroes , making record of their individual part in the past events , with a view to furnishing , according to command of the court , the data whereon to found the criminal sentences to be pronounced . From this portion is the following _ ;] -- That he believes that all the negroes , though not in the first place knowing to the design of revolt , when it was accomplished , approved it .