11 p.m.
Toward evening Mr Bowles came aft , reporting himself `` all ataunto '' once more , and ready to resume duty . He still looked pale and haggard , but was as keen and determined as ever ; and he demurred so vehemently to Captain Staunton 's suggestion that he would be all the better for a whole night between the blankets that the skipper was at last compelled to give in , which he did with -- it must be confessed -- a feeling of the greatest relief that he now had so trusty a coadjutor to share the watches with him ; for since the springing up of the gale the poor fellow had scarcely closed his eyes . The night shut down `` as dark as a wolf 's mouth , '' -- to use the skipper 's own metaphor ; and the chief mate took the first watch , with Bob on the look-out . It must have been somewhere about six bells , or 11 p.m. , when the latter was startled by seeing the crest of the sea ahead of him breaking in a cloud of phosphoric foam over some object directly in line with the launch 's bow . `` Keep her away , sir ! '' he yelled . `` Starboard , for your life , _ starboard _ hard ! ''