about noon
But it was not sailing ; it was simply lying to . The vessel rose and fell on the monstrous waves , but made scarcely more headway than would a tub , and drifted fast toward the still unseen California coast . All might still have gone well had the northwester continued as it was . But about noon this tempest , which already seemed as furious as it could possibly be , suddenly increased to an absolute hurricane , the wind fairly shoving the brig sidelong over the water . Bang went the spanker , and then bang the spencer , both sails at once flying out to leeward in streamers , and flapping to tatters before the men could spring on the booms to secure them . The destruction was almost as instant and complete as if it had been effected by the broadside of a seventy-four fired at short range . `` Bend on the new spencer , '' shouted the captain .