three o'clock
Had they had sails for the boats , it would have been otherwise , but they had been stowed away and could not be procured . The sight of land naturally rejoiced them all , and the seamen in the boats cheered , and double-banked the oars to increase their way ; but the towing of a large raft sunk under water was no easy task ; and they did not , with all their exertions , advance more than half a mile an hour . Until noon they continued their exertions , not without success ; they were not three miles from the land ; but , as the sun passed the meridian , a change took place ; the breeze blew strong ; the swell of the sea rose rapidly ; and the raft was often so deeply immersed in the waves as to alarm them for the safety of those upon her . Their way was proportionally retarded , and by three o'clock they had not gained half-a-mile from where they had been at noon . The men not having had refreshment of any kind during the labour and excitement of so many hours , began to flag in their exertions . The wish for water was expressed by all -- from the child who appealed to its mother , to the seaman who strained at the oar . Philip did all he could to encourage the men ; but finding themselves so near to the land , and so overcome with fatigue , and that the raft in tow would not allow them to approach their haven , they murmured , and talked of the necessity of casting loose the raft and looking out for themselves .