four o'clock
There are four fine vessels in the roadstead ; if you could get them , the troops would be safe . '' `` Ah ! '' cried the colonel sharply ; and telling Castro to wait for the cavalry , he rode off at a great pace towards Arica . At four o'clock we staggered into the town , and were instantly met by the governor with a sorrowful tale . He had secured the use of three vessels , but the commander of the fourth absolutely refused to be either coaxed or threatened into lending his assistance . There was not a moment to be lost , and Colonel Miller , with no other attendant than myself , ran down to the beach . There we got on a balsa , or raft , which carried us to a launch , whose crew at once took us alongside a fine North American schooner .