The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-10
DOGS AS BAROMETERS.
They Are Also Useful to Lake Skip
pers in Case of Fog.

They Are Also Useful to Lake Skip
pers in Case of Fog.
New York Sun.
Masters of steamers and tow barges on
the lakes have a fondness for dogs, and
on dozens of the boats running between
Lake Erie ports and upper lake ports
dogs are carried. Sailors generally
show an inclination for pets, but the dog
is something more than a pet on the
lakes. He is a valuable member of the
crew. He is considered as trustworthy
as barometer in giving notice of an
approaching storm. Most Of these dogs
are towards in storms. Occasionally
captain finds a dog that is not afraid of
heavy weather, and seems to enjoy the
rolling or pitching of the boat, but as
rule dogs are as afraid of gale as
woman passenger, and at the first sign
of a storm hunt for hiding place
Il had a dog that was much like a
woman as 1t was possible for an animal
to be-, said a captain, who has carried
a dog with him for nearly a quarter of a
century. He could tell a storm was
coming long before l could notice 1t, and
often before the barometer would change.
He would come to me whining and cry
ing, and I couldn't keep him away from
my heels. He seemed to be asking me to
put him ashore or to find a comfortable
place for him. I used to feel sorry for
him, he'd carry on so. When the storm
would strike US he would be out of sight,
and we often found him hiding under the
hunks and in corners where he could not
see anything and could not easily be
seen. 1 believe if he could have done it
he would have jumped into bed and pull
ed the covers over his head.
I'VE were always very careful that he
didn't get hurt in loading or unloading,
for he was worth a good deal of money
to us. Many a time, when we had a
thick fog I'd hunt for that dog, and keep
him near me. He was better than q
chart. He could smell land further away
than man could see it in fair weather,
and all of us kept close watch on him
during fog. If he jumped up and down
as though something pleased him very
much you could be certain that we were
getting close to land.
Il remember one time we were COM
ing down Lake Superior from Duluth in
a heavy fog. We had had fog all the
way up, and Jackson, that was his name,
was pretty tired of sailing when We
reached Duluth, and tried to jump us,
but we couldn't spare him, and he stayed
with us. We didn't have as many lights
in those days as we do now, and it was
no easy s8ing to take a boat from the
upper end of Lake Superior to Sault
Ste. Marie in a fog that was with you
all the time.
jackson was so Disguised that he lost
all interest in the boat and spent the time
sleeping on deck. When we were about
abreast Whitefish Point 1 was figuring
that we were outside far enough to be
safe, and was not the least bit nervous
Suddenly Jackson jumped up and ran tc
the rail and put his paws up as though he
expected to look right over to dock.
81 saw him, and at once gave the en-
gineer the signal to check, and Jackson
barked as though he was immensely
pleased. 1 signaled to stop and yelled tc
the first mate to get out the lead JUS
then I saw a lumber schooner loom up II
the fog, and I'll tell you we were so Gloss
together when she passed that could
almost touch her booms. That dog haC
smelled that boat, sure as you're born
and if 1 hadn't checked there would have
been a collision and then suit, and
would have hard work to explain why
was not sounding a fog whistle"