midnight
Still the east wind continued , until stout admiral Boisot himself almost despaired . But on the night of the 1st of October a violent gale burst from the northwest , and then shifting , blew more strongly from the southwest . The water was piled up high upon the southern coast of Holland , and sweeping furiously inland poured through the ruined dykes , and in twenty-four hours the fleet was afloat again . At midnight they advanced in the midst of the storm and darkness . Some Spanish vessels that had been brought up to aid the defenders were swept aside and sunk . The fleet , sweeping on past half submerged stacks and farm houses , made its way to the fresh water mere . Some shallows checked it for a time , but the crews sprang overboard into the water , and by main strength hoisted their vessels across them .