The _Corsair_ stood by and made every possible effort to save the precious _Californian_ endeavoring to haul her along at the end of a tow-line, but the damage was vital and salvage hopeless. It was one of those numerous episodes of the warfare at sea, as waged by the enemy, which seemed so enormously wasteful, so impossible for civilization to endure, this senseless obliteration of property on a scale without precedent in the whole history of mankind. [Illustration: THE SINKING CALIFORNIAN. GOING, GOING, ALMOST GONE!] [Illustration: CALIFORNIAN SURVIVORS ABOARD THE CORSAIR] The _Corsair_ found the convoy of eight ships in the afternoon of June 20th and took position with the other escort vessels, _Aphrodite_, _May_, _Nokomis_, and two French patrol boats. They steamed toward the coast at eleven knots without misadventure until early in the morning of the 22d. Then the _Californian_ made a turn to the right, quitting the formation, and slowed speed until she came to a halt. Her crew could be seen jumping into the boats and letting them drop from the davits. There was no more ado about it than this, no sound of an explosion nor any disturbance of the sea. It was an uncanny, inexplicable thing to witness. From the bridge of the _Corsair_ it was easy to perceive that the sailors of the _Californian_ were proceeding, earnestly and eagerly, to abandon ship. It was done without disorder, but they were wasting no time. The _Corsair_ promptly swung to go near, at the order of Lieutenant McGuire, who was the officer of the deck. The yacht moved to the rescue with a speed which surprised even the _Californian_. Already the long, deep-laden steamer was settling by the head. One of the little French escort vessels had also hastened to the scene, but as she rolled in the trough of the ground swell, the sea slapped across her deck and the first boat to pull away from the _Californian_ found so much difficulty in trying to lay aboard that the men semaphored the _Corsair_: “Will you please come and pick us up?” Presently the master of the big steamer and many of his crew were scrambling up the side of the _Corsair_, where Commander Porter strongly urged that an attempt be made to save the _Californian_. He was ready to tow if the water could be kept down in the flooded compartments. It was a sporting chance, but better than letting the ship drown before their eyes.