A SAILOR'S DOG IN WAR TIME.
(To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTLTOR.") SIR,—Many adventures have been thoroughly enjoyed by Yel, a magnificent Airedale terrier, the property of Commander Davenport, of Gillingham. Yel joined up when he was barely six weeks old, in 1916, and when six months old embarked for German East Africa. At the Cape the orders were cancelled and be went to the Cameroons. One day the dog had an exciting encounter with two makes. He leaped oat suddenly from the bash and stood on his hind-legs with a very unusual expression in his rye, and fell motionless at his master's feet. While some one fetched some water to revive him, other members of the party investigated the place whence ho had appeared, and came across two enormous snakes of a very deadly kind. The snakes were killed. On another occasion Yel unwittingly disturbed a trail of black Driver ants, which fastened themselves all over him. A native 'servant picked him up, put him on a horse, and galloped off with him to some water two miles away, water being the only remedy in such a case. Yel never repeated that mistake. Once, when his ship was lying at anchor, the dog fell overboard and was rescued by two seamen, who were rewarded by two bottles of Bass, a very great treat In those parte. Yel's popularity increased immediately, and his footsteps were watched most zealously by many admirers, but he declined to repeat his performance. Being of a very genial nature he made many friends with other animals, among them being some monkeys, chimpanzees, leopard cubs, and some Crown birds. On returning to England he was quarantined for four months. Then he went of with his ship to an Irish bane, and from there to one in the North of Scotland. While walking with his master one day he found a horse suffering great pain. He fetched his master to the spot and kept a number of crows from alighting on the poor beast, who was soon put out of his misery. When his master was employed on escort duties to merchant ships between a Northern port and the Norwegian coast Yel always foretold approaching danger. His signals of eubdned whines and unusual easiness were always followed by the loss of a ship ,l5r the "Submarine in sight" signal being hoisted. Whatever the weather, the dog could never be induced to go below while his master was on deck.
Now that he is home once more Yel—he is registered at the Kennel Club as "Yelverstene," the place of his birth—is col- lecting £100 for the R.S.P.C.A. Soldiers' Dog Fund and already has over .g50 to his credit.—I am, Sir, atc.,
It.S.P.C.A., 105 Jermyn Street. E. G. Finespun.
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