There are many ideas about what may have happened to Bass. One story, by William Campbell of the brig "Harrington", said that Bass was captured by the Spanish in Chile and sent to the silver mines. The "Harrington" was also involved in smuggling and returned to Sydney some three months after Bass's departure. But this story dates from 1811 in a report by William Fitzmaurice. Campbell did not mention Bass in either 1803, or in 1805 when he captured a Spanish ship. Three months is too short for Bass to have reached Chile and then the "Harrington" to get back to Sydney.