Continuity mistake: When the Amistad is captured by the American naval vessel, and Cinque jumps out of the dinghy to swim for it, the frontal shot of his face with the pursuing boat behind him shows the sun overhead, at midday or morning, towards viewers' left. When the shot changes to behind him (chaser's view), the sun is dead in front of him and setting.
Continuity mistake: The lettering on Amistad's dinghy changes, from all capitals when the Africans come ashore, to upper and lower case when they return to the ship.
Continuity mistake: When Cinque approaches the bonfire, he's wearing his coat. When the camera angle changes, the coat has disappeared and he's wearing a white shirt.
Continuity mistake: While he's conversing with the translator, John Quincy Adams' magnifying glass becomes a pen in his hand between shots.
Chosen answer: It's likely that the scene was set in the morning, meaning they would be going east.
Greg Dwyer