midnight
He 's going to make a mess of things . '' Then in his slow , drawling manner , he told us that the command of the _ Tuitoga _ had been given to an ex-lieutenant of the navy , whose knowledge of sailing vessels was confined to his youthful experiences on one of the service training brigs ; but King George of Tonga was anxious to secure an English naval officer to command the new ship , and out of some hundreds of eager applicants , Lieutenant Raye had been selected . By sundown the brigantine was hull down ahead of us , though the barque was a very smart vessel , and we were then making eleven knots . At midnight , I heard the mate give orders to take in royals and topgallant sails , and going on deck , found the wind had almost died away . Rosser was on deck , and told me that we were `` going to get it hot from the N.E. before long ; '' and by four in the morning we were under topsails and lower courses only , the ship flying before a most unpleasant sea . I turned in again , and slept till daylight , when the second mate gave me a call . `` Come on deck and see something pretty . ''