one o'clock in the morning
Jake was a handy chap , indeed , all round , for he was of very considerable assistance to Cuffee in the galley when the stormy weather interfered with the cooking ; so , Captain Miles did not object to his coming to look after me in this way . He `` winked at it , '' as he said . During the evening of the day on which the wind shifted round to the north-west , the sky somewhat cleared and the night was fine and starlight ; but the gale seemed to blow with all the greater vehemence as the clouds dispersed . It increased to the strength of a hurricane towards one o'clock in the morning , when , the fore-topsail and mizzen staysail blowing away , the ship had to content herself with running under bare poles , careering through the water faster than ever . She had certainly never realised such speed since she had been launched . I was awake when Captain Miles came down at this time to consult the barometer , and I could hear what he said to Jackson , who had accompanied him below for something or other , the two talking together just outside my bunk . `` I 'm sure I ca n't make it out at all , '' the captain said in rather a hopeless way .