about eleven o'clock in the morning
Then she became decidedly heavy and sluggish in her movements , which showed us that it would be hopeless to dream of shaping a course other than to leeward , or at best with the wind abeam . The wind was , at the moment , blowing briskly from the southward , which was a fair wind for the Caroline group , in one of which -- if we could only manage to hit the right one -- we might hope to meet with hospitality at least , if not the actual means to return to civilisation . After some discussion , therefore , we determined , as the wind seemed inclined to moderate a little , to risk a start without further delay , since , if our boat was to be of any real service to us , she ought to be able to live in such a sea as was now running outside . It was about eleven o'clock in the morning when we reached the open sea ; and the first discovery which we made with regard to our boat was that , thanks to her double keel , she would forge ahead with the wind anywhere at all abaft the beam -- not at any great speed , certainly , with the wind only about one point free , but still fast enough to enable us to control her with a steering oar . When we bore up before the wind , she moved under the impetus of the breeze almost as fast as we had been able to row her in the lagoon . Our second discovery with regard to her was no less pleasing . Owing to the peculiar shape of her floor , which , it will be remembered , sloped up fore and aft somewhat after the fashion of that of a fishing punt , she rode the seas with extraordinary buoyancy , and as dry as a bone .