midnight
Her hull was coppered to about six inches beyond the water-line , and above this she was painted a cool grey up to her rail , this colour being relieved by a narrow scarlet riband along the covering-board . It was a fancy of the admiral , that she should be made as unlike a ship of war as possible , in order that she might be the more thoroughly fitted for her destined work ; and , between us all , we certainly managed to meet his wishes in that respect to perfection , for she looked , both in hull and rigging , more like a yacht than anything else . On the following day the stores and ammunition were shipped , and on the day after I called at the admiral 's office for my instructions , joined the ship , and that same evening , as soon as the land breeze set in , proceeded to sea ; my orders being to cruise among the Windward Passages for the protection of trade and the suppression of piracy until recalled , and to look in at the post office on Crooked Island about once a month for orders . Keeping close along in under the land , so as to take full advantage of the land breeze , we were off Morant Point by midnight , when we stretched away to seaward , and finally , after being obliged to take to our sweeps to get across the calm belt between the _ terral _ and the trade-wind , stood away to the northward , close-hauled upon the starboard tack , toward the Cuban shore . Weathering in due time Cape Maysi , the eastern extremity of the island of Cuba , we shaped a course for Crooked Island Passage , and being then able to get a small pull upon the weather-braces and to ease off the mainsheet a foot or so , we bowled along in a style which filled all hands with delight . On our arrival at Crooked Island we called at the post office , and I left a letter for the admiral , reporting progress . There was a fine full-rigged ship lying there when we arrived , bound for London ; she had been there two days , waiting and hoping for the arrival of a man-of-war , under the protection of which to get safely through the Passage .