midnight
This lasted until November 2nd at daybreak , when the weather lifted and we saw land at about eight miles ' distance . Unhappily the wind dropped at once , while the motion of the waves continued , and our sails being useless , we found ourselves drifting rapidly shoreward with the set of the current . In the height of our dismay , however , a breeze sprang up from the north-west , and we worked off . But we were over-hasty in blessing this breeze , which before midnight grew to a violent gale : and for two days we drove before it in much distress -- Obed and I taking turns at conning the ship , since Captain Wills had received an awkward blow between the shoulders from the swinging of a loose block , and lay below in considerable pain and occasionally spitting blood , which made us fear some inward hurt . During the night of the 4th , the wind moderated ; but the weather turning thick again , we were hardly reassured . Early on the 6th Captain Wills appeared once more on deck and sent me below to get some sleep . I believe indeed that , had fate allowed , I could have slept round the clock .