midnight
But we have seen that a man-of-war is but this old-fashioned world of ours afloat , full of all manner of characters -- full of strange contradictions ; and though boasting some fine fellows here and there , yet , upon the whole , charged to the combings of her hatchways with the spirit of Belial and all unrighteousness . Already has White-Jacket chronicled the mishaps and inconveniences , troubles and tribulations of all sorts brought upon him by that unfortunate but indispensable garment of his . But now it befalls him to record how this jacket , for the second and last time , came near proving his shroud . Of a pleasant midnight , our good frigate , now somewhere off the Capes of Virginia , was running on bravely , when the breeze , gradually dying , left us slowly gliding toward our still invisible port . Headed by Jack Chase , the quarter-watch were reclining in the top , talking about the shore delights into which they intended to plunge , while our captain often broke in with allusions to similar conversations when he was on board the English line-of-battle ship , the Asia , drawing nigh to Portsmouth , in England , after the battle of Navarino . Suddenly an order was given to set the main-top-gallant-stun ' - sail , and the halyards not being rove , Jack Chase assigned to me that duty . Now this reeving of the halyards of a main-top-gallant-stun ' - sail is a business that eminently demands sharpsightedness , skill , and celerity .