midnight
But scarcely had I dropped into slumber when I was aroused by the recrudescence of my hives . All day they had not bothered me ; yet the instant I put out the light and slept , the damnable persistent itching set up . Wada had not yet gone to bed , and from him I got more cream of tartar . It was useless , however , and at midnight , when I heard the watch changing , I partially dressed , slipped into my dressing-gown , and went up on to the poop . I saw Mr. Mellaire beginning his four hours ' watch , pacing up and down the port side of the poop ; and I slipped away aft , past the man at the wheel , whom I did not recognize , and took refuge in the lee of the wheel - house . Once again I studied the dim loom and tracery of intricate rigging and lofty , sail-carrying spars , thought of the mad , imbecile crew , and experienced premonitions of disaster . How could such a voyage be possible , with such a crew , on the huge _ Elsinore _ , a cargo-carrier that was only a steel shell half an inch thick burdened with five thousand tons of coal ?