Coal, more than any other factor, proved to be the key to the success of "Kronprinz Wilhelm"s cruise. The hope of finding that commodity had brought her to the coast of South America, and her success in locating sources of it kept her there. Initially, she replenished from German steamers sent out of South American ports specifically for that purpose. She spent the next month coaling from four such auxiliaries before she even contacted her next victim. That event occurred on 7 October, when she hailed the British steamer well off the Brazilian coast at about the same latitude as Rio de Janeiro. The next day, the raider went alongside the captured ship to seize the prize's coal and cargo of frozen meat before sinking her. She took "La Correntina"s two ammunition-less guns and their splinter shields. The raider later mounted the additional guns aft, where they were used for gun drills and to fire warning shots with modified, blank salute cartridges. She continued coaling and provisioning operations from "La Correntina" until 11 October, when bad weather forced a postponement. On 14 October, she resumed the transfer of fuel but broke off again when she intercepted a wireless message indicating that her captive's sister ship had departed Montevideo two days earlier and would soon pass nearby. The prize crew placed the usual three explosive charges, and sank "La Correntina" that same day. Survivors of "La Correntina" and the French barque "Union" were landed at Montevideo by the German liner on 23 November 1914.