A CANINE TOURIST.
[To Tax Eorront Or roe Senorsnort." J
STR,—Your dog-loving readers may be interested to hear that there is (or was till lately) in South Africa a rival to the well- known Travelling Sack,' of Brighton line fame, after whom, indeed, he has been nicknamed by his acquaintance.
I was introduced to him eighteen months ago, on board the Norbam Castle,' on a voyage from Cape Town to England,—a. voyage which this distinguished Colonial traveller was making much against his will. He was a black-and-tan terrier with a white chest, whore intellect had therefore probably been im- proved by a dash of mongreliem, and I was told that he belonged to a gentleman connected with the railway depart- ment living at Port Elizabeth. It appears that it was Mr. lack's' habit frequently to embark all by himself on board the mail steamer leaving that place on Saturday afternoon, and make the trip round the coast to Cape Town, arriving there on Monday morning. Where he "put up" I do not know, but he used to stay there until Wednesday evening, when he would calmly walk into the station, take his place in the train, and return to Port Elizabeth in that way, thus completing his "circular tour" by a railway journey of about eight hundred miles.
He was well known by the officers and sailors of the Norham,' and her commander, Captain Alexander Winchester (who can vouch for these facts), told me that, as the dog seemed fond of the sea, he had determined to give him a long voyage for a change, and had kept him shut up on board during the ship's stay at Cape Town.
'Jack' was evidently very uneasy at being taken on beyond his usual port, and he was on the point of slipping into a boat for the shore at Maq.eira, probably with a view of returning to the Cape by the next steamer, when I called the Captain's attention to him, and he was promptly shut up again. I said good-bye to him at Plymouth, and hope he found his way home safely on the let= voyage—I am, Sir, .35c., Ex-Coto:nu.
• " Abolition" applies to powers and authorities, " embleotion " to person. and thugs.
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