eight o'clock
Among the exciting events of that night , one circumstance impressed me with astonishment , though it was but small matter perhaps for a boy to have noticed at such a time . It was that the Captain several times expressed himself in terms of piety , and even ejaculated that prayer when our safety was secured . We had sometimes heard him swear before that , and had always noticed , in contrast to Mr Clare , his indifference to any religious service or subject ; indeed , the only emotion we had ever seen him display with regard to such matters was on the occasion of Mr Clare 's address after the combat between Drake and Alfred . It was eight o'clock when we landed on our little rocky island of deliverance . Boatswain 's Reef was , as its name described , only half an acre in extent -- a jagged , stony reef , raised but a few yards at its highest point above high-tide mark . Very cold , somewhat anxious , and much exhausted , we found in a few moments the only shelter it afforded -- a level place of sand and sea grass , about six yards square , defended on the south-west by a miniature cliff . There a lot of seaweed had accumulated , and the driftings of many gales collected .