The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-06
.MASCOTS OF SAILORS
ANIMALS AND BIRDS SUPPOSED
 TO BRING LUCK TO SHIPS.
Alligators, Monkeys, Parrots, Goats, and Dogs Petted While at Sea. Expectations Prevailing on
 Board Vessels.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.

New Orleans Times-Democrat-
 If sailors are afflicted with superstitions
 they are also fond of mascots Nearly
 every ship which comes to this port nas
 a dog or a cat or goat or ah ains .S
 or a rooster, or something else Wnlcn the
 sailors look to for protection against the
 fury of the elements and the WlIes or the
 evil one, It is astonishing how these
 mascots are cared Tor. Tn nearly exery
 Instance they are fed from the captain table and whenever they are SICK, every
 man on board exerts himself to ma some remedy for the allment, ana they are
 never satisfied until cure is eneCteo, Mascots are as old as the hills with the saiIorman, He has had them ever since he has believed in the story about rats leaving A sinking vessel, or-that other meaning certain death. It Is useless 10 argue that the mere presence or goat will cause d deviation or hurrlcane rom its course or that the meow or cat VIII cause a bullet to fall before It's torce IS spent. 1t is all d useless and thankless inb to try to argue anything with sailor when once he has made up his nina 10 thing and he has made up his mind that mascots are very necessary parts oL shiD's crew and there is an end Of 1t.
 The mascot of the steamship Montezu- ma is an alligator, cunning AeiloW, about two and one-half feet long. he
 wss brought aboard when he was as small as a lizard. They got him down at | Ouarantine and to his presence IS attrlD- | uted ali the good luck which has follow | e6 tbs ship since. The men will tell you with a grave face that the reason they
 have had no trouble with the muleteers | they carry regularly to South Africa IS Sms to that alligator They will tell you seriousIy that the reason they have neV- | or had disease or shipWreck or any or | thoga nishaps is because the alligator has hoo-dooed the weath9r man and the ml- | crobe. -, .l. .,,
 refnse to wean themselves from the idea. | Thev look after that reptile as though | ha Uere A Kings son. They give him d l nIaca in the hathtub, and they spend half
 a Jov chasing flies and other inspects. to | he sire he gets a good dinner. When
 po+tons are short they will cheerfully l divida with their four-web- friend.
 ulno d" bas a face like a griffin on the top | 'of a Dubic building, and mouth like inc Isthmus of Panama.
 | Sf course, the alligator knows and un- l dsrstands When they are feeding him he Smiies over about three feet Of mouth,
 ond shows his teeth, and they imagine he | is oieased and give him more. They say
 atva him the most to eat, and therefore | sst. ia a generous rivalry to see who
 n,iIi get his favor. Unless something hap | nans to nut q stop to this practice that l alligator may die or indigestion.
 | Tsa rnas,ot on the steamship Memnon | l., n ehiiivS' goat The appearance of that
 10 s. DtntId knock a holiday out of the
 6oia,dsr or postpone Sunday or accom-
 SIinh ain,ost any other heinous design | Ea has been all around tne world and | ssiH,;..e, aIi inc time as one of the cabin
 I1asSangers He goes where he pleaseR
 psaS u,Scn he pl,ases. and there is not a snu n''i " sav him nay. The man who would | he so brave as to propose any nnltatlon
 to tbe license or liberty Of that goat