seven o'clock
At two o'clock , the best bower cable parted , and the spare anchor was let go , but the cable went almost immediately . Our danger was now most imminent ; our sole dependence was on our sheet cable ; and it was evident to all on board that _ that _ could not long resist the heavy strain . Our ensign was now hoisted , union downward , that well-known signal of extreme distress ; and the mournful booming of our guns seemed to our excited imaginations to be the knell of our passing minutes . At seven o'clock , a cry was heard , which , like an electric shock , was passed from one end of the ship to the other in a moment , stunning the most daring spirits with its dreaded import . The sheet cable had parted , and the ship was at the mercy of the wind and sea . An order was now given for every man to provide for his own safety , and a scene of the greatest confusion ensued . For about ten minutes , the ship continued to drive before the wind , and then struck , with a dreadful crash , upon a reef of rocks , broadside to the shore .