midnight
The squadron weighed and made sail toward evening , Cavendish 's purpose being to arrive after dark and attempt a surprise attack , the odds being so very greatly in favour of the enemy . Sunset , therefore , saw them under easy sail , heading along the coast toward La Guayra . To make certain of not arriving at their destination too soon , and before the townspeople and the garrison had retired for the night , the English ships carried but a small amount of canvas , and consequently made only some two to three knots per hour . It was a little after midnight when Roger , who was , as usual , on the lookout , and who was credited with the sharpest pair of eyes in the ship , saw for the second time the lights of La Guayra opening up . As they came into fuller view of the town itself , and of the roadstead , they were somewhat astonished to find that both were enveloped in almost perfect darkness -- there was scarcely a light to be seen , either ashore or afloat . There were one or two scattered here and there about the town , but there were none at all in the forts , and not a single glimmer was to be made out anywhere in the roadstead . Surely it was not possible that the vessels of the plate fleet , and its two protecting warships , could have left the port and disappeared during the short time that had elapsed since the boat expedition had made its reconnaissance !