about three o'clock in
the morning
_ -- Is the ship accursed ? Was there ever a voyage which began so fairly and which changed so disastrously ? Tibbs shot himself through the head during the night . I was awakened about three o'clock in the morning by an explosion , and immediately sprang out of bed and rushed into the Captain 's cabin to find out the cause , though with a terrible presentiment in my heart . Quickly as I went , Goring went more quickly still , for he was already in the cabin stooping over the dead body of the Captain . It was a hideous sight , for the whole front of his face was blown in , and the little room was swimming in blood . The pistol was lying beside him on the floor , just as it had dropped from his hand .