Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-14
A DOGS Adventure.
Nes0 London Comm Letter to The Tart FGelc
and Farm.

ness
A Dogs Adventure.
Nes0 London Comm Letter 10 The TayE Fold
and Farm.
1t is seldom that a more severe storm
visits the New England coast than the
southeast gale that visited this vicinity
on Sunday night, Nov. !, and the waves
that were sweeping in from the Atlantic
ocean, by Montauk Point, and through
the Race into Long Island Sound, were
simply terrible. Some idea Of their size
and force can be formed from the fact that
the large steamboat Pilgrim-the largest
in EXISTENCE of the Fall River line. did
not dare attempt to pass through the Race
on her way to Newport and Fall River,
and was obliged to put into New London
for harbOr, and even on her passage
through Long Island Sound she was used
very roughly, and there was quite panic
among her passengers,
Caught out in this gale was the large
mud digger No. 4, Capt. Kent. in tow of
the ocean tug Q. G. White, bound from
Providence, II. l., to New York. While
passing through the Race the digger foun-
dered Her crew consisted of six men
and large Newfoundland dog, called
Rover. When the digger went under the
hawser connecting her with the tug was
cut with an ak to prevent the tug being
pulled under with her, and it was sup
posed that every living thing in the dig
ger was instantly drowned, as it would
have been impossible for any boat she car
ried to have lived midst the terrible seas
for single minute. 1t was very dark,
and raining in torrents, and the tug was
unable to render the slightest assistance,
and under these circumstances the dog
Rover began to swim for life. The acct
dent happened shortly after II O'Clock,
and the tide was on the latter
part of the ebb. and as it runs
very strong, must have carried the
dog five or six miles out TO sea be-
fore the tide shifted and broughthim back
through the race again; and during the
six-hOur run of the food tide Rover must
have been brought we'll up into Long
Island sound before the tide began to run
out again, and probably got to the north
ward OF the strength Of the current, as the
next flood landed him on Crescent beach,
one OF the shores of Mantle bay. When
Rover reached the beach he was unable to
stand, and could not crawl out of the surf
running at that sheltered place, and
would in all probability have been drown
ed there, after his brave struggle for life,
but for the fact that MIR. Gates, of Mantle,
happened to be near the place with his
own dog, who spied Rover, and Mr.. Gates
helped him to dry land once more.
Rover was rescued at about O'Clock
Monday afternoon, consequently for near
ly eighteen hours the poor brute MAIN
tanned the fearful struggle, and at a time
when the waters were so rough that not
even large cOasting schOoners dared VEN
ture from harb0r. The distance from the
scene OF the wreck to where Rover landed
in straight line. according to United
States charts, is fourteen miles, and il is
certain that Rover could not have taken
such direct course, for If he had the ebb
tide would have taken him as far out as
the flood brought him in; he was out in
one ebb and two food tides, and it may
be set down as fact that he swan the
whole distance, for 1t is almost certain
that il boat could have got away from
the wreck and lived to have got out Of
the race-and there Is not one chance
in a million that one could have done
so-and got into the sound, where the
water, though very lumpy, was not halt
so bad as in the Race, she would have
reached shore, and even il the crew had
managed TO get into the sound before be-
ing swamped. the boat would have wash
ed ashore near where the dog did, and
as no boat has been seen near the place or
found anywhere else in the sound, II is
pretty evident that the digger's boat was
not launched. but went down with her
crew in the Race, and from all the facts
OF the case, i think that 1t may be set
down as an absolute fact that Rover was
in the water for eighteen hours, and
swan the great distance unaided except
by the tide.
MIR. Gates cared for the dog and re-
ported the fact Of his finding him to the
New London papers, and on Wednesday,
the 4th INST, the captain and engineer OF
the tug, accompanied by young Mr.. Kent,
son Of the unfortunate captain, went 10
Mantle and claimed Rover, who recOg-
nized them all, and appeared wild with
JOY on meeting his old friends again.
Rover is large black Newfoundland, and
on Saturday, before leaving Providence,
weighed 100 pounds, and on the following
Wednesday, when returned TO his friends,
only tipped the scales at "a pounds, which
helps TO prove what terrible ordeal the
poor fellow passed through.
This story will by some probably be
doubted, and others may think that It is
not much OF yarn anyhow, and say that
they know or have heard Of dogs that can
swim that distance, when 1t Is not good
day for swimming either. But TO me,
who was by the shore during the storm
and listened 20 the howlings Of the gale
Sunday night, and looked upon Long
Island Sound Monday, when IL was one
great sheet OF foam, IL seems like won
derful performance, and believe IL was
such a one as no dog but Rover ever
paQqpd throuOh and lived