about nine o'clock
We will try a cast of the lead , Mr Young , if you please , just to make sure ; though if we are fair in the channel , as I think we are , we shall get no bottom as yet . Nor shall we make any headway until the wind freshens or the sea-breeze springs up , for we are already within the influence of the outflowing current , and at this season of the year -- which is the rainy season -- it runs very strongly a little further in . '' The lead was hove , but , as Bates had anticipated , no bottom was found ; whereupon the master rolled up his chart again , gave orders that the ship was to be kept going as she was , and returned to his cabin , while the watch mustered their buckets and scrubbing-brushes and proceeded to wash decks and generally make the brig 's toilet for the day . Our worthy master was right ; we did not make a particle of headway until about nine o'clock , when the wind gradually hauled round aft and freshened to a piping breeze before which we boomed along in fine style until we came abreast of a low , narrow point on our port hand , protected from the destructive action of the Atlantic breakers by a shoal extending some three-quarters of a mile to seaward . Abreast of this point we hauled up to the northward and entered a sort of bay about half-a-mile wide , with the low point before-mentioned on our port hand , and a wide mud-bank to starboard , beyond which was an island of considerable extent , fringed with mangroves and covered with thick bush and lofty trees . On the low point on our port hand were two `` factories , '' or trading establishments , abreast of which were lying two brigs and a barque , one of the brigs flying British and the other Spanish colours , while the barque sported the Dutch ensign at her mizen-peak . We rounded-to just far enough outside these craft to give them a clear berth , and let go our anchor in four fathoms of water .