about two in the afternoon
The answer was , that no land was in sight , in any part of the ocean ! For several hours the ship ran down before the wind , and the same extraordinary vacancy existed on the waters ! At length an island was seen , and the news was sent down on deck . Towards that island the ship steered , and about two in the afternoon , she came up close under its lee , and backed her topsail . This island was a stranger to all on board ! The navigators were confident they must be within a few leagues of the Peak , as well as of the volcano ; yet nothing could be seen of either , while here was an unknown island in their places ! This strange land was of very small dimensions , rising out of the sea about three hundred feet .