The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-08-01
He Is Not Very Particular What It,!s So
He Gan Play With II. y"
BILLY GOATS ARE GENERAL FAVoRlTES
And Great Mnny Of the vessels of
tho White Squadron HIVE One
notwithstanding story of the
Baitimore's Mascot-Doss, Cats.
birds,Monkeys Are Kept on Board
BY MINNA IRVING.

Jacks pets are by no means the lcas
important members of the ships com.
panS. The same desire which leads 4
| prisoner to make pet OF the spider OF
ms dungeon wall or share his scanty
| rare with mouse. creates in the suil-
ors bosom IL longing for something tC
love and cherish. and the affection
| which landman laviSheS on wife and
| children the lonely sca-farer beStows
| freely on dogs and cats. parrots and
monkeys. guinea pigs and canaries, but
chiefly ON the goat Nearly every ship
| in the White Squadron has O. pet goat
aboard. or has at some time numbered
one among its crew-unlcss. of course,
| 1t is Il newly commissioned vessel.
Ell CID OF THE NEW YORK.
These pets OF the wnrdroom and fore
| castle are usually living souvenirs of
foreign pa rts, but the plcbean Harlem
billy often finds himself elevated from
Il precarlouS existence among the ash
cans to proud aiiluencc 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 in 1893, one of the New
York's officers took Il trip to Harlem,
and there procured n goat which with
due ceremony was chriStened I'll Cid
and taken down to Annapolis an n nav
al mascot. lie was in gorgeous array
his hoofs gilded, his horns tied with
ribbons. and his snowy coat carefully
combed under housings of blue and
gold. The result of the game. which
was To 4 in favor of the middicS,
showed that III Cid was II mascot of
the very highest order. On his return
he was given quarters on the New
York In keeping with his Importance.
and when the vessel sailed for Brazil he
went also. Although little SeaSiCk at
first he soon became an excellent sailor
and n great flvor.te " it'll his mess
mates. When the New York returned'
to Brooklyn he was allowed the freedom
of the navy-yard. but in an unlucky
moment he straycd outside the limits
and when last seen was being led
through the streets of Brooklyn by Il
Hudson avenue butcher. All efforts to
recover him proved futile. No pet has
ever been found who would be consd-
cred worthy to take his place on the
New York.
BILLY OF THE BALTIMORE.
More fortunate has been the career OF
Billy of the Baltimore, a goat quite as
famous as IIl Cid and equally beloved.
BILLY is a foreigner, having been picked
up when only a kid of six or seven
months old on the Island of Savanilla
by some of the crew Of the Galena.
This was in 1888. and he has been con-
tinuously in the service o. Uncle Sam
ever since. die was regularly enlisted
on the Old Gaena, on who CHI he served
seven years, as the following copy of his
discharge Will show:
ENLISTMENT RECORD.
Name. William Goat: rate. masco.: en-
listed, February 1888. ait Savan!lla. for
life: previous naval service. none: occu-
patton, general scavenger.
CONDUCT RECORD.
(Write words Excellent. Good. Ind!ffer-
ent, etc. instead of Number
Proficiency in rating. excellent; sea-
manship. excellent; gunnery. -; marks
manshap. great guns, -; marksman-
ship. small guns. -; sobriety. good:
obedience. good averange for term OF
enlistment. good to excellent.
(Signed) w. J. BARN EFT.
Lieutenant u. S. N,
aId Executive Officer.
DESCRIPTIVE LIST.
(To be made after careful examination
at date of discharge).
| Born, November. 1892. 81; SavaHilla;
age I years: eyes. cross. d; hair, black
ard white; complexion mixed; he!Sh.,
feet inches; weight, till the clouds roll
by; personal characteristics, marks. etc
two excellent horns for bub;ing; state Vi
health during enlistment. splendid diGes-
ton for shavinSs. ashes. sandpdper anI
brass filings; percentage of time on SICK
list during enlistment, none Is physi-
calry qualified for re-cnl!stmen:. ON &C
count OF buttinS propensa:ies doctors re-
fused TO examine him.
William Goat has long ago consume
his pay. $4,000 In full to date.
(Absent on lcave) u. ). y.
signature of payInas err.
On the reverse side of this amusin.
Gsocum;nt che usual form No. I. Bureau
OF Nav.g is filed OFT dated anC
signed. and cer.:iies that William Goat
n mascot, has been discharged from Tn
United States steamship Galena by rea
son of the ship gong out of commit:
sion.
This was in 1890 and Billy was a
once transferred to the Baltimore. which
was then lying Al the Brooklyn navy
. yard. He had made tour of III,
world several times. and seldom want:
shore leave the Only exception bein:
when his ship lies at navy yard will
a gang plank ashore. Then he will oc
oas!onally make tour of inspection
around the yard, but 1t seldom last
over an hour The crew of The Bait!
: more believes that Billy knows a navy
. yard when he sees it. and says tina
. nothing but force will drive him ashor
q any other place. At Singapore tn
, ship stopped al a dock 10 lake coal an
though the gang plank was out ant
4 plenty of green grass in sight, it tool
stout rope with two sailors puiinj
d and blue Jacket pushing on Billy
= stern sheets to induce him To go asho I
t AS soon as his guard was reduced to on
@ he broke nTo n galop for the. gan
Il plank. dragging the blue jacket afte
). MIN. a few months later the Balti
more went into dry docks at Yokobam
and Billy was the first one ashore Will
.hs~p IL n