While "my Lords" were warming up imaginary errors in the heat of an excited imagination on account of poor Mrs.Flinders, the commander of the Investigator was losing valuable time.

In May he wrote to Sir Joseph Banks: "The advanced state of the season makes me excessively anxious to be off.

I fear that a little longer delay will lose us a summer and lengthen our voyage at least six months.

Besides that, the French are gaining time upon us." On May 26th, the Investigator left the Nore for Spithead to wait further orders.

She was provided, by the Admiralty itself, with a chart published by J.H.Moore, upon which a sandbank known as the Roar, extending from Dungeness towards Folkestone, between 2 1/2 to 4 miles from land, was not marked.