There was no moon in the heavens, nevertheless the horizon was well defined, and a large object could be seen at the distance of a couple of miles.

I took a careful look around the horizon, waited a short time and looked again.

I suffered my eyes to dwell on that quarter, in a north-east direction, where the schooner had been seen the evening before, and after a while I beheld a speck darker than the surrounding atmosphere.
Might it not exist only in imagination?
I turned away my eyes and took a survey of the horizon in another direction, and again looked towards the quarter where the dark object had appeared.

It was still there.

Feeling assured I was not the victim of error, I ventured to call Captain Moncrieff, who hastened on deck followed by the mate.