eight o'clock in the morning
It happened sometimes that these honest men were obstinate in their belief ; but , after a certain time , they were forced to acknowledge that they had been dupes of an optical illusion . The pretended land , moved away , changed form and finished by disappearing completely . On the 6th of April there was no longer any doubt possible . It was eight o'clock in the morning . Dick Sand had just ascended into the bars . At that moment the fogs were condensed under the first rays of the sun , and the horizon was pretty clearly defined . From Dick Sand 's lips escaped at last the so long expected cry : `` Land !