seven in the morning
The men remained firm to their duty . Now , not only from the fore , but from the main hatchway , the flames were seen to ascend , but for some time , the courses having been thoroughly wetted , they stood still urging on the ship towards the land . Time went on . The fire had commenced at seven in the morning , it was now several hours past noon . For all that period the crew had been fighting desperately with the fiery element for their lives . Anxiously , with straining eyes , they gazed at the land . On either side a dark mass of smoke ascended before them , and blew away to leeward , while the lurid flames rose beneath it , striving furiously for victory over the masts and spars , sails and rigging .