The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-03
BY MINNA IRVING.
Copyright. 1896. by Minna Irving9

Copyright. 1896. by Minna Irving)
Jacks pets are by no means the least
important members of the ships COM
pany. The same desire which leads a
prisoner TO make a pet of the spider on
his dungeon wall or share his scanty
fare with mouse, creates in the sail
or's bosom a longing for something to
love and cherish, and the affection
which Z. landsman lavishes on his wife
and children the lonely sea-farer be-
slows freely on dogs and cats, parrots
and monkeys, guinea pigs and canar-
les, but chiefly on the goat. Nearly
every ship in the white squadron has a
pet goat aboard, or has it at some time
numbered among one of its crew-un-
less, OF coulse, it is newly commits
stoned vessel.
Ell CID OF THE NEW YORK.
These pets Of the wardroom and fore
castle are usually living souvenirs of
foreign parts, but the pIebian Harlem
billy often finds himself elevated from
precarious existence among the ash
cans to proud afftuence as the mascot
of white cruiser. Such was the early
history of FL Cid, the famous mascot of
the New York. Previous to the great
football game between Annapolis and
West Point liz 1893, one of the New
York's officers toop & trip to Harlem,
and there procured a goat which with
due ceremony was hastened to Ell Cid,
and taken down to Annapolis as d
naval mascot. He was in gorgeous ar
ray, his hoofs gilded, his horns tied
with ribbons, and his snowy coat care
fully combed under housings of blue
and gold. The result of the game
THrl7i f1la A ~, -
dies, showed that FL Cid was mascot
of the very highest order. On his re-
turn he was given quarters on the
New York in keeping with his impor-
lance and when the vessel sailed for
Brazil he went also. Although a little
seasick at first, he soon became an ex-
cellent sailor and a great favorite with
his messmates. When the New York
returned to Brooklyn he was allowed
: the freedom of the navy yard, but in
, an unlucky moment he strayed outside
the limits and when last seen was be-
ing led through the streets of Brooklyn
by a Hudson avenue butcher All eff
forts to recover him proved futile No
pet has ever been found who would be
considered worthy TO take his place on
the New York.
BILLY OF THE BALTIMORE.
More fortunate has been the career of
famous as Ell Cid and equally beloved
Billy is foreigner, having been picked
up when only a kid of six or seven
months old on the island of SAMANTHA
by some of the crew of the Galena-
This " as in 1883 and ne has been con-
dlnuaNy in the service of Uncle Sam
ever since. He was regularly enlisted
on the old Galena, on which he served
seven years, as the following copy of
mis- discharge papers will show:
ENLISTMENT RECORD.
Name, William Goat; rate, mascot;
enlisted, February, 1888. at Cavanilla,
for life; previous naval service, none;
occupation, general scavenger.
CONDUCT RECORD.
CWrite words Excellent, Good, Indiffer-
ence, etc, instead of Number)
Proficiency in rating, excellent; sea-
manshH,, excellent; gunnery, -;
craftsmanship, great guns,
craftsmanship, small arms,
sobriety, good; obedience, good; aver
age for term Of enlistment, good to ex-
cellenf.
lSigned) w. J. BARNETT,
Officer.
DESCRIPTIVE LIST.
Go be made after careful examination
at date Of discharge)
Born. November, 1882, at Savanilla:
age, Z years; eyes, crossed; hair, black
and white; complexion, mixed: height.
2 feet, inches; weight, till the clouds
roll by; personal characteristics, marks.
ETC., two excellent horns for butting:
state Of health during enlistment.
good; splendid digestion for shavings,
ashes, sandpaper and brass filings
percentage Of time on sick list during
enlistment. none. Is physically quali-
fed for re-enlistment. On account of
butting propensities doctors refused to
examine him.
l hereby certify that the above named
William Goat has long ago consumed
his pay, 5000 in full to date.
absent on leave) U. S. N
signature paymaster)
On the reverse side of this amusing
document the usual form No. Z, Bureau
of Navigation, is filled out, dated and
signed, and certifies that William
Goat a mascot. has been discharged
from the United States steamship Ca !
lena by reason of ship going out of
commission.
This was in 1890 and Billy was at
once transferred to the Baltimore
which was then lying at the Brooklyn
navy yard. He has made a tour OF
wants shore leave, the only exception |
being when his ship lies at a navy
yard with a gang plank ashore. Then |
he will occasionally make a tour of I
inspe4 ion around the yard, but II (
seldom lasts over an hour. The crew
OF the Baltimore believes that Billy I
knows a navy yard when he sees it /
and says that nothing but force will |
drive him ashore at any other place |
At Singapore the ship stopped at |
dock to take coal and though the gang |
plank was out and plenty of green /
grass in sight, it took stout rope with /
two sailors pulling and a blue jacket I
pushing on Billy's stern sheets to in
dEce MIN to go ashore. AS soon as his
guard was reduced to one he broke
into a galiop for the gang plank, drag
ging the blue Jacket after him A few
months later the Baltimore went into
dry dock at Yokohama and Billy was
the first one ashore. While there he
made daily excursions around the navy
yard and on each occasion was an
object Of great interest to the navies.
When they became too familiar Billy
charged with lowered head and scat
tered the valiant conquerors of Ping
Yang to a respectful distance. But
when the Baltimore sailed from the
Brooklyn navy yard for her long cruise
in 1893, Billy came very near not being
a passenger. for the captain decided
for some reason to leave him behind.
He was put ashore and the marines in
the barracks tried to make q pet of
him he paid daily visits to the Balti-
more and when the day of her depar-