The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-08-23
SWIMMING DOGS.
A Contest Between a Bull Dog and
 Newfoundland.


 A few persons who happened to be or
 the landing at Canarsie, Jamaica Bay early one morning few days ago, wit
 messed an ill-matched swimming race.
 The contestants were two dogs. New foundland and bulldog. The result
 was unexpected The bull, by the strength and pluck characteristic of his 1 race. won from the Newfoundland by
 nearly one hundred yards, in spite of his rivals natural swimming advan- tages.
 | MT. Kennedy, the owner of Badger, | the victor and neighbor of his who owns the big Newfoundland. had ar- ranged some time ago to have this race come off. Last Tuesday morning they went out in rowboat, taking both of 1 the dogs with them. After they had rowed some distance across the "Flats" 1 the Newfoundland at signal from his master jumped Into the water. but the bull had to be thrown overheard. MT. Kennedy, who was at the oars, pulled away for shore as flst as he could, the Newfoundland immediately following the boat with the long, powerful | sweeping stroke usual to these natural swimmers. But Badger lost time by turning round and round a couple of times when he reached the surface af- ter his unexpected plunge As soon as he espied the boat, however. and heard his master calling him he literally walked through the water to the boat. Badger swan with quick, strong strokes of his powerful forelegs, sort of Overland" which looked as if he were trying to pull himself out of the water. He, of course, wasted much of his strength in this attempt to lift him. self out, while his more skillful oppo- nent went ahead quickly, and easily through the water. It was interesting to note that the Newfoundland swan with only the top of his head showing above the surface of the water while the bulldog kept his entire head and the greater part of his neck above the sur- face. Though less skillful the latter's smaller body and greater strength soon told. He quickly overhauled his antag- onist and soon passed him, constantly increasing the lead to the finish, when it was nearly one hundred yards
 Both dogs were pretty we'll winded when pulled out. Badger less than the other and he recovered sooner than the Newfoundland. They are both fine, well grown specimens of their breeds. The Newfoundland won second prize at the dog show few years ago.
 The race was the result of an argu- ment between the masters of the two dogs, in which MT. Kennedy maintained that the strength and endurance of the bull would overcome the skill of the other dog, and facts showed that Mr. Kennedy was correct in his view. He based 1t upon an event which happened within the personal knowledge of one of his ancestors. Mir Kennedy's grand father was an Englishman and served as first mate on merchantmen plying between London and Halifax. This vessel was wrecked a couple of miles off shore in a dense fog. On board were three prize dog5 of the Newfound- land variety. which were being export ed to sporting club in London. The captain tried to send line to shore by means of these dogs and thus open communication with land. One of the dogs was put overheard with a strong, thin line fastened to his collar He was killed almost instantly by 8 wave driv- ing broken spar against him. More care was taken with the other two dogs but each was overcome by the terrific sea running and was drowned before half the distance had been covered.
 As last resort Mr. Kennedy's grand father suggested making trial with the captains brindle bulldog, and his suggestion was acted upon. After al- most five hours of terrific struggling with the raging sea, the brave dog was tenderly lifted out of the water, barely alive and saved from the rocks upon which he would have been dashed to death. That bulldog saved the lives of all the men on board that ship by his pluck and endurance. It is quite natu- ral for MT. Kennedy to set store by bulldogs and Badger in particular, for he is descendant of the brindled bull that did for his grandfather what three prize Newfoundlands could not do-- Louisville Despatch.