about midnight
I need not describe all that occurred in the boat . We made fair way while the wind continued fair , and the weather favourable , but Jamaica still seemed a long distance off . It is a large island however , so that there was not much chance of our missing it . Four days had passed since we left the Audacieuse , when about midnight the wind suddenly shifted to the northward , and , what was worse , it came on to blow very hard . We closely reefed our sail , and hove-to , but the seas constantly broke over us , and we were obliged to keep two hands baling , or we should have been swamped . It was bad enough as it was , but it might come on worse , and then , would the boat swim ? That was a question .