Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-05
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The Boat


p Boston in every seaport the United States the
! international Fellowship Of Seafarn' Cats are wall
ing long and loudly at the unkind fate whch mas tur
them into andlubbers for the duration It's most peculiar
situation they've got only themselves to blame Tor
the pickle they're in
AS thew haunt the waterfront restlessly waiting for
their respective vessels to return hundreds of these
stranded felines are accepting the hospitality of long
shoremen dock watchmen and other good saiiail'@iN
who are wise in the way of ships and cats
There's Bill Albers for example veteran longshore
man of New Orleans currently providing daily raons
of FISH for varied collection OF seagoms cats as ever
timid cooks apprentice into the ahchor chains
Among them such four-pawed nautical celebrities as
Pedro Lisbon who has sailed twice around the t1ef
Olaf of Trondhem who lick triple MS weight ID
Airedaes and Mustafa who is reputed TO have
once swiped all the of the hors doeuvre in
Shepherds Hotel in Cairo And they are dependent %"
Bills bounty because of sheer carelessness
Lets put this way" Bill says "A seafarin car Is
at home in any port the world When ship comes IN
from long cruise the cat is one of the first 10 come
down the gangplank He's not only ready 10 look over
the locals mebbe exchange bit of chitchat but ne
prowls around for bit Of shore grub to vary ms de'
whether he's at Swansea, Marseilles, lstanoul or
Charleston makes the most Of his time ashore ana
may visit bit with a branch Of his family. IheFe
Peggy for example famous Of all seafarin cats
mascot Of the Peruvian tramp steamer Puerto Suarez
I remember reading story about her in The American
Weekly year, describing how her family OF III XII
tens distributed ports throughout the word
Peggy has probably family connections 10 drop IN
on than most Of her species
That is all right during peace times when it is an
honored tradition ships cat TO stay In port until Inc
very last before sailing time, and wait for the
ships whistle to familiar departure signal Then
she come a-larrupng the stftngpiece and scramble
up the gangvay just as showing off. Shed
make quick inspection above and below decks 10 be sure
that no feline nteroper had away for the
and then 10 bringing good luck TO crew and
ship purrng noisily and hopefully around the galley
But nowadays a vessel leaves IT does quietly
without blowing whistles and advertising It's departure
That's foling possible enemy spies is CON
cered But unfortunately also fools the ships cat II
doesn't hear the whistle she doesn't go aboard ana
howcome she and hundreds OF her mates are no"
stranded"
Mr. Albers who was a bo'sun aboard 3ooo'on
feehter in the DAYS before ashore take charge
of crew of ongshoremen points that the wholesale
strandne of ships cats American ports may have a
serious implication, not much for the mascots them
selves as for the that sail without them
IT won't go so far a say that ship which has
lost her high with the Inun sign
her and is inviting calamity although there are plenty
of deep-water sailors who hold to this oeief says he
man who plays Good Samaritan to stranded cats
when ships cat is left behind the first thing the
mourning crew does reaching the next port is 70 pick
UP another that substitute jnxbreaker may
be a dog goat monkey or baby kangaroo I've
seen that happen scores Of times
The first thing you know there's jealousy aboard A
cat will keep TO herself sort of like the skipper himself
and show no Partially other animals, however viii IN
gratiate themselves with one or two sailors ana not really
be representative mascots."
Then when the begins to act up only cat really
is when the deck begins to heave around O
animals are liable get seasick be tossed into the
scuppers Many seaman has had an accident While try
ing TO rescue non-fene pet that has gotten into trouble
cat knows how 70 take of herself on shipboard
OF all the who belong to the international Eel
Ioyshp Of Seafarn' Cats Peggy Of the Puerto Suarez
"a nobabv the least liable stranded ashore for she
knows what IL
II was way back in 1885 when she little more
than kitten that Guizman then messboy aboard
the puerto Suarez found her thin and hungry in a
Guaamalan port From the fact that she seemed 20 Know
her ,yav around boat Guizman judged that some other
ship had sailed without her.
Although she developed into well-fed amiable tabhy
aboard tho Puerto Suarez quite lost her fear
Of being left behind and got the hewhse-
blows habit but always reported back on board at .so5t
fun hour before sailing time. And she had an tnedy
method of always knowing when her ship due to leave