midnight
One 's sharp eyes ca n't see behind one 's back . It will yet be noted that an important omission was made in the preparations for Whitehaven . The town contained , at that period , a population of some six or seven thousand inhabitants , defended by forts . At midnight , Paul Jones , Israel Potter , and twenty-nine others , rowed in two boats to attack the six or seven thousand inhabitants of Whitehaven . There was a long way to pull . This was done in perfect silence . Not a sound was heard except the oars turning in the row-locks .