11 months at sea, she dropped anchor off Bunbury on 28 March 1876. Anthony and Breslin met and began to prepare for the rescue. While in Bunbury, Breslin (a.k.a. Collins) stayed in Spencer's Hotel (operated by William Spencer). Anthony and Breslin briefly travelled back together to Fremantle on on 1 April, arriving the next day and were horrified to find the Royal Navy gunboat HMS Conflict in port, necessitating postponement of their plan. Breslin and Anthony travelled to the intended escape departure point in Rockingham. A couple of days later, Anthony and Breslin were invited to a party at the governor's residence. Anthony returned to Bunbury via mail coach on 6 April and discovered that the crew had stowed away another ticket-of-leave convict. Anthony informed the authorities and they took the man ashore. Anthony departed for Rockingham on 15 April. The escape had been planned for 6 April, but the appearance of HMS Conflict and other Royal Navy ships and customs officers led to a postponement. The escape was rearranged for 17 April, when most of the Convict Establishment garrison was watching the Perth Yacht Club regatta. Escape and pursuit Catalpa dropped anchor in international waters off Rockingham and dispatched a whaleboat to shore. At 8:30 am, six Fenians who were working in work parties outside the prison walls, absconded—Thomas Darragh, Martin Hogan, Michael Harrington, Thomas Hassett, Robert Cranston and James Wilson. They were met by Breslin and Desmond and picked up in horse traps. According to Anthony, a seventh Fenian, James Kiely, was intentionally left behind because during his trial he had offered to divulge the names of comrades in an effort to obtain a reduced sentence for himself. Kiely, however, claimed that he was unable to get away from his guard. He was released on licence in 1878 and pardoned in 1905. The men raced south to Rockingham pier where Anthony awaited them with the whaleboat. A local named James Bell he had spoken to earlier saw the men and quickly alerted the authorities. As they rowed to Catalpa, a fierce squall struck, breaking the whaleboat's mast. The storm lasted till dawn on 18 April and was so intense that Anthony later stated that he did not expect the small boat to survive. At 7 am, with the storm over, they again made for Catalpa but an hour later spotted the screw steamer Georgette, which had been commandeered