about 6:30 p.m.
By this time there was vapour enough in the generator to move the engines , so we created a partial vacuum , rising in the air to a height of about a thousand feet , after which we wended our way hither , finding the spot without difficulty , thanks to the light displayed in the tower of your house . And -- here we are . '' The next three days were devoted to the shipping and storing away of the enormous quantity of stores of all kinds which Sir Reginald had ordered for the voyage . This brought the time up to Saturday evening , it being about 6:30 p.m. , when George , and the chef who was to have charge of the kitchen on board , reported that the last case had been conveyed on board the _ Flying Fish _ , and stowed away . There was , of course , no reason why a start should not now have been immediately effected ; but , as the completion of the arrangements had brought them so very close to Sunday , Lady Olivia expressed a wish that the departure of the expedition should be deferred until the following Monday , in order that she might have an opportunity to attend one more service at the quiet little parish church close at hand . The wish , of course , had but to be expressed to meet the ready acquiescence of the other members of the party , and , accordingly , they all with one consent appeared at the church on Sunday morning ; the afternoon being devoted to a final visit to , and inspection of , the _ Flying Fish _ , with the twofold object of making assurance doubly sure that nothing in the least likely to be wanted during the forthcoming expedition had been forgotten , and to afford Lady Elphinstone the opportunity to satisfy herself , before starting , that every arrangement for her comfort and convenience was complete . The _ Flying Fish _ was still lying concealed in the spot where she had alighted four nights before ; and it happened that , Lady Olivia having been too fully occupied to visit the ship until now , this was the first time that she had beheld the wonderful craft for fully six years .