about eight o'clock
There were reaches in which the wind favoured us , too ; and , by the time the ladies reappeared , we were up among the islands , worming our way through the narrow channels with rapidity and skill . To me , and to Marble also , the scene was entirely novel ; and between the activity that our evolutions required , and the constant change of scene , we had little leisure to attend to those in the cabin . Just as breakfast was announced , indeed , the vessel was approaching the more difficult part of the river ; and all we got of that meal , we took on deck , at snatches , between the many tacks we made . As good-luck would have it , however , the wind backed more to the westward about eight o'clock ; and we were enabled to stem the ebb that began to make at the same time . This gave us the hope of reaching the end of our passage without again anchoring . At length we reached the Overslaugh , which , as was apt to be the case , was well sprinkled with vessels aground . The pilot carried us through them all , however ; if not literally with flying colours , which would have been regarded as an insult by the less fortunate , at least with complete success .