about midnight
Of course , however , fewer Englishmen are required to man a vessel than Spaniards , not but that Spaniards are very good sailors , but then they have not got the muscle and the activity of Englishmen . As a rule , Spanish vessels are far better found than English craft , and are rather over than under manned . We continued to run down the coast without meeting with any adventure till we sighted the large island of Mindanao . We were standing off that island one night , when about midnight the ship was struck by a heavy squall . She lay over till her yardarms almost dipped in the ocean . Topsail and topgallant sheets were let fly , and she soon again righted without much apparent damage to herself , but at that instant there was a cry from aft that one of the gunboats had parted . The night was dark , and those who looked out could nowhere distinguish her .