noon
As for the _ Belle Jeannette _ , she , too , was sold , fetching a very good price , and before we left port again we had divided our prize-money , my share of which amounted to the very respectable sum of two thousand six hundred and odd pounds . The _ Dolphin _ had received so severe a mauling in her fight with the French privateer brig that , although the utmost despatch was used in repairing and refitting her , it was not until the 24th of December that she was again ready for sea , by which time news had reached us of the declaration of war by Spain against Great Britain . This last circumstance , of course , threw all hands of us into a fever of impatience to get to sea again , in order that we might have an early opportunity of picking up a rich Spanish prize ; but when Christmas-eve arrived , finding us still in harbour , our owner was generous enough to say that we might , if we pleased , defer our sailing until the day after Christmas-day , in order that the crew might have the opportunity to spend Christmas at home , which opportunity we thankfully made the most of . But all hands were on board by noon of the 26th , when we cast off and stood out of the harbour once more before a fresh south-westerly breeze , the day being , for a wonder -- with the wind in a wet quarter -- brilliantly fine , and as mild as a day in early autumn ; a circumstance which most of our lads were willing to accept as the omen of a prosperous cruise . Captain Winter 's object was to reach the French coast as soon as possible , and then to work along it to the westward , right round to the Spanish coast , and thence as far as Gibraltar , and perhaps into the Mediterranean , hoping that somewhere on the way we might pick up something worth having , or at least obtain information relating to a homeward or outward-bound convoy ; upon clearing Portland , therefore , we stood across the Channel , on a taut bowline , on the starboard tack , making Cape de la Hague , well on our lee bow , next morning at daybreak . We then shortened sail to our fore-and-aft canvas only , and , taking in our gaff-topsail , held on as we were going , with the French coast close aboard , to leeward , until we reached Granville , when , having seen nothing worthy of our attention , we tacked to the westward , and eventually found ourselves off Cape Frehel , the easternmost extremity of Saint Brieuc Bay . This was our third day out ; we had seen nothing , and the men , who appeared to think , from our past experience , that we ought to take at least one prize every day , were beginning to grumble at our ill-luck .