eight a.m.
As might be expected , we got from them nothing but contradictory reports ; but they all agreed in giving us the most conscientious and disinterested advice , not to think of irritating her , as we should most certainly be blown out of the water . We read this backwards . If she were strong enough to take us , it was their interest that we should engage her , and thus their liberation would be effected . As it was , notwithstanding these many occurrences , only eight a.m. when we made the re-capture , and as the convoy were all still in sight , we only put six men in the _ Prince William _ which , in addition to the English still on board , were sufficient to take her to the _ Curlew _ , near which vessel the merchantmen had all nestled , and orders were transmitted to her commanding officer to see that men enough were put on board the re-capture to insure her safety . We now pressed the ship with every stitch of canvas that we could set . We had already learned the name of our friend in the distance ; it was the _ Jean Bart _ . Indeed , at this time , almost every fourth French vessel in those seas , if its occupation was the cutting of throats , was a `` Jean Bart . ''