However,thechiefbusinessofthecolonistswastomakethatcompleteexplorationoftheislandwhichhadbeendecidedupon,andwhichwouldhavetwoobjects:todiscoverthemysteriousbeingwhoseexistencewasnowindisputable,andatthesametimetofindoutwhathadbecomeofthepirates,whatretreattheyhadchosen,whatsortoflifetheywereleading,andwhatwastobefearedfromthem.CyrusHardingwishedtosetoutwithoutdelay;butastheexpeditionwouldbeofsomedaysduration,itappearedbesttoloadthecartwithdifferentmaterialsandtoolsinordertofacilitatetheorganizationoftheencampments.Oneoftheonagers,however,havinghurtitsleg,couldnotbeharnessedatpresent,andafewdays’restwasnecessary.Thedeparturewas,therefore,putoffforaweek,untilthe20thofNovember.ThemonthofNovemberinthislatitudecorrespondstothemonthofMayinthenorthernzones.Itwas,therefore,thefineseason.ThesunwasenteringthetropicofCapricorn,andgavethelongestdaysintheyear.Thetimewas,therefore,veryfavorablefortheprojectedexpedition,which,ifitdidnotaccomplishitsprincipalobject,wouldatanyratebefruitfulindiscoveries,especiallyofnaturalproductions,sinceHardingproposedtoexplorethosedenseforestsoftheFarWest,whichstretchedtotheextremityoftheSerpentinePeninsula.

           Duringtheninedayswhichprecededtheirdeparture,itwasagreedthattheworkonProspectHeightsshouldbefinishedoff.