pointer's to catch a sound.

To work we went, without hurry, but swiftly and silently. Our various
stores were dragged from their lurking-places, and placed in the
boat, which hung from the ship's lee side, the side depressed in the
water, an indispensable requisite to an attempt at escape. And though
at sundown the boat was to windward, yet, as we had foreseen, the
vessel having been tacked during the first watch, brought it to leeward.

Endeavoring to manhandle our clumsy breaker, and lift it into the
boat, we found, that by reason of the intervention of the shrouds, it
could not be done without, risking a jar; besides straining the craft
in lowering. An expedient, however, though at the eleventh hour, was
hit upon. Fastening a long rope to the breaker, which was perfectly
tight, we cautiously dropped it overboard; paying out enough line, to
insure its towing astern of the ship, so as not to strike against the
copper. The other end of the line we then secured to the boat's stern.

Fortunately, this was the last thing to be done; for the breaker,
acting as a clog to the vessel's way in the water, so affected her
steering as to fling her perceptibly into the wind. And by causing
the helm to work, this must soon rouse the lubber there stationed, if
not already awake. But our dropping overboard the breaker greatly
aided us in this respect: it diminished the ship's headway; which
owing to the light breeze had not been very great at any time during
the night. Had it been so, all hope of escaping without first
arresting the vessel's progress, would have been little short of
madness. As it was, the sole daring of the deed that night achieved,
consisted in our lowering away while the ship yet clove the brine,
though but moderately.