eight o’clock in the evening
The _ Hermione _ , however , was of but little use to the Spaniards . Sir Hyde Parker , in October , 1799 , hearing that she was about to sail from Porto Cabello , in Havana , detached the _ Surprise _ under Captain Hamilton , to attempt to obtain possession of her . On arriving off Porto Cabello he found the _ Hermione _ , which was manned by four hundred men , moored between two strong batteries at the entrance to the harbour , but , nothing daunted , Captain Hamilton resolved to cut her out . At eight o'clock in the evening he pushed off from the _ Surprise _ with all his boats , manned by one hundred officers and men . Undeterred by a heavy fire , the boats made for the _ Hermione _ and were soon alongside . The main attack at the gangways was beaten off , but the captain , with his cutter 's crew , made good his footing on the forecastle , and here he was joined by the crew of the gig and some of the men from the jolly-boat . He then fought his way to the quarter-deck , where he was soon reinforced by the crews of the boats that had at first been repulsed .