The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-26
pETTED BY THE SAILORS
Animal Mascots That Live on Boarda
Uncle Sans Ships
OF War.
William Goat, an Old Salt. Of the
Grow OF the Balti-
more.
Ths Porcins MASCOT - the R~iohmond-
sOld Grimmes" Would Drink
Chew and Smoke.

that has no animal pets on board. They
are not confined TO Ping dogs and such, ac-
cordinR to The New York News, but take in
the most outlandish specimens Of animated
nature. They range from eockroaches to
reals, and from apes to goats. Parrots are
great favoritss, and sven hogs have been
known to 10 gain ON jacks affections 81 to
have been enabled to save their bscon.
But to engage jacks affections the animal
must be able to stand the hardships Of 4
sea life and take kindly to salt water.
On board : mnn-'o-war several pet . ara
alwayst to DO found, but there is always one
prime favorits, recognized by AL, from the
captain to the apprentice boy % the ships
mascot. The cruiser Baltimore. over the
trsatment of whose sailors BY the Chiliana
We are having such q lot Of diplomatic and
warlike talk, has for her mascot : goat.
When she was put in commission the goat
wac duly entered on the ships papers az
"William Goat"
The goat il an old salt, having been
brought up in Uncls SANS navy from q
kid. He was ON board the Galena about
i've years age while she was on foreign SER
vice, and served on that vessel until trans
fsrrsd to the Baltimore. This had to be
accomplished by main forns, so much was
hs, like sailors in general, disinclincd to
enlist in the new navy. William hns &C
CURED. among other accomplishments OF q
genuine salt, the habit Of chewing tobacco.
which he readily obtains from svery n on
board, especially the Grew Of the first out
tor, the only boat in which he will allow
himself to bo taken OF shore. He seems
also to be of a religious turn Of mind, at
tending service every Sunday in the most
exemplary manner.
The Richmond had at one time = hog for
4 mascot, and the stories told Of il would
seem to prove that the pig is not always the
unolean animal he is credited with being.
This particular pig used to take q bath
avery morning and was a perfect Jude in
regard to presenting "a attractive exterior.
deoh If half the n niRhs With the the precision pe HsSs of Of
the officer of the watch. When he got too
fat almost to move he was allowed to die q
natural death. His shipmates would have
regarded il as cannibalism to 0 him to
the cooks coppers.
As for eating q rasher
Or what they took pride IN,
They'd rs soon think. of eating
The pan it was fried in.
Monkeys ale coming on board ships serv-
fhg in tropical and semi-tropioal waters.
Ehsir habits Of imitation are the source of
endless amusement to Jack, though some
times their tricks Of the mischeivous kind
cause the air to grow blue with profanity.
nh BROOKLYN had q baboon which at first
was go savsRe that it had to BIZ put in .
oage and fed on nothing but bread and
milk until it was subdued. The apo Of the
Benicia, Old Grimmesas he was called, was
Of a quiet disposition except when the ssIl-
ors made him drunk, and then . circus was
at full blasta After one moro than usually
Wild debauch, Grimmes took " tumble to
hims4lf.', and ever after refused to touch
liquor, though he still continued to smoke
and chew.
Dogs, Of course, are common on board
ship. The Yorktown boasts q splendid
mastif Of great intelligence. He knows
every man and boy on the vessel and will
allow him to play with him and take all
kinds Of liberties, but woe to the stranger
in or out Of uniform who preSumes to do 80
without an introduction.
The Yantio, now on the South Atlantic
station, has the biggest dog in the service.
He is also q kind of mastif and is . notori-
Gus fighter. He was never vanquished but
once, and then it was by two cats on the
Cob dock At the Brooklyn navy yard: He
Yantic, to the yard, and while there en-
countered one cat, which, instead of retreat
inc. gave battle, nearly clAwing the eyes
out and severely scratching the nose Of the
nnastiff and literally made the fur fly. He
turned tail, and never after could be per-
suaded to land at the Cob dock. The Navy
Yard cats are terrors. They work in unison,
and strange cats that stray into the yard
receive scRnt meroy.
Cats are not considered mascots, but a
number of men-'c-war carry them. The
best known of them, and he has a naval
reputation, is Dan. Dan 10 on board the
Enterprise, the ship that Commander Nc
Gala q short time ago made famous. Dan
is a good specimen Of the domestic tiger,
q fighter from fghtersville, and his fights
are the pride of the foreoastle. He tackled
h bulldog in England and came off victor,
though with a broken leg. Dan is q navy
ward cat. His father, Jumbo, is still living,
and is as ugly a customer in his old age as
ia the son.
The Chicago, tho flagship of the White
squadron, now in South American wate,p,
has . pet parrot that the sailors declare can
that it has never been taught and use them
with apparent sense and discretion. 1t has
but one grave fault for a sea-going bird
which initiates against its otherwise spot
less record. 1t has learned a number of
words of command, and can initiate the
voice of nearly every officer on board, It's
delight is when the men are at dinner to |
by an excellent imitation of the boat
swain's pipe, and send the crew tumbling
up from below. For this and similar tricks, /
Polls cage has to be covered over with a
cloth as q punishment. Poll attends divine
service every Sunday, and listens gravely to
all the exhortations of the chaplain. She
has learned several texts of scripture. and
we're it not for her irreverent habit of imi-
tating the pulling of corks during service,
she uuor11 ha q yr,oHAl for n Ar,1uy ac1onl