midnight
Fortunately , her hull was quite uninjured , the whole of the damage done being to the upper works . Our first task was to clear away the wreck of the foremast , the skipper hailing me soon after I had boarded to say that he intended the Indiaman to take us in tow . The wreck was soon cut away , and just as it was falling dark we got our tow-line aboard the Indiaman , and proceeded , the uninjured Frenchmen having meanwhile requested permission to attend to their wounded fellow - prisoners and make them comfortable below . More or less disabled as we all were , with the exception of the Indiaman , it took us until past midnight to reach Weymouth roadstead , where we anchored for the night , without communicating with the shore ; no one in the town , therefore , was aware of our quick return to port , and our brilliant success , until the following morning ; and as for Mr Peter White , our owner , the first intimation that he had of the affair was while he was dressing ; when his servant knocked at his door to say that Captain Winter had returned with three prizes , and was waiting below to see him . The old gentleman , I was afterwards told , was so excited at the good news that he would not wait to dress , but descended to the parlour , where the skipper awaited him , in his dressing-gown . The old boy was almost overwhelmed at the news of his good fortune ; insisted that Captain Winter should stay to breakfast with him ; and afterwards , despite the cold weather , came off to the roadstead and visited each of the prizes in turn . It was as well , perhaps , that he did so , as there was a considerable amount of business to be transacted in connection with the recapture of the _ Hoogly _ , the captain of which was anxious to resume his voyage up channel as soon as possible .