The emotions of this startled convoy were not easily calmed, for the commander of the _Corsair_ records, an hour after the alarm, “Proceeding again in close formation. The _Edward Luckenbach_ fired one shot at a flock of gulls on the water.” Concerning the general bombardment he officially observes: The _Montanan_ opened fire at a disturbance made by a large fish, abeam and to port, distance about one mile. The fish was clearly seen and observed from this ship when it jumped from the water twice and then swam away near the surface. A few minutes later a school of porpoises appeared and all the transports opened fire. The firing was widely dispersed and apparently not aimed at any visible object. The shells from the _Montanan_ landed abreast of the _Corsair_. None of them burst. The _Oise_, a French vessel of the escort, attempted to investigate the splash made by the fish but had to draw away when fire was opened at the porpoises. These false alarms happened often, and during her next tour at sea the _Corsair_ sounded the call to battle stations on two different occasions, reported as follows: (1) Sighted an object which was believed to be a submarine about four miles ahead. Two submarine warnings were received, one before and one after sighting object. Upon arriving at point where object had been sighted, no evidence could be detected of the presence of a submarine. (2) Sighted object on starboard beam, distance 3000 yards, which appeared to be a periscope. Informed convoy and headed for object. No. 1 gun crew opened fire when object became visible in gun-sight telescopes, followed by fire from convoy. When we approached close to object it proved to be a black spar, riding about vertical, six feet out of water. The heavy swell running caused the spar to disappear at intervals, which gave it the semblance of a submarine operating. [Illustration: A GROUP OF CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS] [Illustration: A LIBERTY PARTY AT BREST] Until the merchant convoys became more accustomed to the routine of their hazardous employment, they were a source of almost continual anxiety to the yachts and other naval craft escorting them, and the work was more harassing than may appear on the surface. As a sample one may select from the _Corsair’s_ daily experiences such an incident as the following, under date of September 5th: