they could set sail immediately. Two
thousand fathoms of sounding still remained in the water. Captain
Blomsberry would not lose precious time in hauling it in, and resolved
to cut the line.

"We will fix the end to a buoy," said he, "and the buoy will indicate
the exact point where the projectile fell."

"Besides," answered Lieutenant Bronsfield, "we have our exact bearings:
north lat. 27 deg. 7', and west long. 41 deg. 37'."

"Very well, Mr. Bronsfield," answered the captain; "with your
permission, have the line cut."

A strong buoy, reinforced by a couple of spars, was thrown out on to
the surface of the ocean. The end of the line was solidly struck
beneath, and only submitted to the ebb and flow of the surges, so that
it would not drift much.

At that moment the engineer came to warn the captain that he had put the
pressure on, and they could start. The captain thanked him for his
excellent communication. Then he gave N.N.E. as the route. The corvette
was put about, and made for the bay of San Francisco with all steam on.
It was then 3 a.m.

Two hundred leagues to get over was not much for a quick vessel like the
Susquehanna. It got over that distance in thirty-six hours, and on the
14th of December, at 1.27 p.m., she would enter the bay of San
Francisco.

At the sight of this vessel of the national navy arriving with all speed
on, her bowsprit gone, and her mainmast propped up, public curiosity was
singularly excited. A compact crowd was soon assembled on the quays
awaiting the landing.

After weighing anchor Captain Blomsberry and Lieutenant Bronsfield got
down into an eight-oared boat which carried them rapidly to the land.

They jumped out on the quay.

"The telegraph-office?" they asked, without answering one of the
thousand questions that were showered upon them.

The port inspector guided them himself to the telegraph-office, amidst
an immense crowd of curious people.

Blomsberry and Bronsfield went into the office whilst the crowd crushed
against the door.

A few minutes later one message was sent in four different
directions:--1st, to the Secretary of the Navy, Washington; 2nd, to the
Vice-President of the Gun Club, Baltimore; 3rd, to the Honourable J.T.
Maston, Long's Peak, Rocky Mountains; 4th, to the Sub-Director of the
Cambridge Observatory, Massachusetts.

It ran as follows:--

"In north lat. 20 deg. 7', and west long. 41 deg. 37', the projectile of the
Columbiad fell into the Pac