two o'clock a.m.
An hour 's run brought us to the inner end of the channel , which we found to be somewhat serpentine in its course , but trending generally in a north-north-west direction , with a minimum depth of two and a half fathoms . A run of about twenty minutes carried us clear of this channel and we found ourselves in Cardenas Bay , an almost landlocked sheet of water nearly double the area of Santa Clara Bay and with slightly deeper water , though even here navigation was only possible for vessels of very light draught . Stretching across the bay we , half an hour later , passed through a group of small cays , after which the water began to deepen somewhat . At two o'clock a.m. we passed Molas Point , and , hauling sharp round it , found ourselves a quarter of an hour later fairly out at sea and clear of all dangers . After which , thoroughly tired out by our long and busy day , Courtenay and I went below and turned in . By noon next day -- or rather , _ the same _ day , to speak with strict accuracy -- we were off Havana ; and I was in hopes that Carera would put in there , as he seemed at first to have some idea of doing ; for our whole thoughts were now bent on effecting our escape from the felucca as early as possible , and I considered it not improbable that in so important a harbour some neutral ship might be found , on board which we might succeed in taking refuge , and with the master of which we might be able to effect an arrangement by which he would be willing to convey us to Port Royal . But to our intense , though secret , mortification , Carera at length resolved to keep straight on ; and thus another of our cherished hopes was disappointed .