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By Corinne Brown Film and books about the Titanic, have primarily focused on the lives of people on the ship. Very few have made note of the animals. And rightly so, since most people believe that human life is more important than the lives of animals. But was this the belief of the 715 survivors? If the Titanic had not sunk in the early hours of Monday, April 15, 1912, first class passengers would have participated in a dog show latter that day. Many pets were on the fatal voyage. Francis-Millet noted with some irony that the ladies in first class "carried tiny dogs and lead husbands around like pet lambs." A French bulldog, Newfoundland dog, Chow, Airdale, Pomeranian and Pekinese were some of the dog breeds on board. It is not surprising that there were animals on the Titanic. Ships have always transported animals between the east and the west. During slavery, animals and slaves were placed in the same cargo hold on sail ships. The subsequent years saw steamships carrying animals in the lower deck that was known as steerage. In the nineteenth century when steamships started to move many immigrants from Europe to America, third class passengers were placed in steerage with the animals. The owners of these animals paid for their transportation. But some animals - most notably rats - took a free ride. Consequently, ships tried to control its rodent population by bringing cats on board. At the beginning of the twentieth century, shipping companies built bigger and bigger steamships in order to make as much money as possible from transporting the many immigrants to America. The idea to build the Titanic was conceived in the summer of 1907. The great ocean liner was constructed in Ireland and launched on May 31, 1911. Sea trials followed. When the steamship set sail from Southampton, England on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, it is believed that there was a significant rodent population on the vessel. The liner struck an iceberg in the late evening of April 14th and forever changed the lives of 2,236 people, an estimated 2000 rats, many dogs and at least one pig on board. The chivalry of the day required that women and children be placed on the lifeboats first. This act doomed many men to an early death. The women were understandably scared, but some were also self-centered and selfish. Referring back to Francis-Millet's remark that the ladies in first class "carried tiny dogs and lead husbands around like pet lambs," it may come as no surprise to learn that women took their dogs and a pet pig with them into the lifeboat, while husbands were left to drown with thousands of rats. Having said the above, one should note that one animal actually earned his right to be rescued. When it became evident that the ship would sink, men released the dogs from their kennels. Most of the dogs eventually drowned. But Rigel, a black Newfoundland dog, was able to swim until the rescue ship, Carpathia, arrived. Survivors in one lifeboat were too weak to shout when the ship was about to run them over. But Rigel who had been swimming in the icy water for three hours, was still strong enough to bark. Captain Rostron heard the dog and ordered the ship to stop. Swimming in front of the lifeboat, the dog led the survivors to the starboard gangway. The first officer of the Titanic was the owner of Rigel. This officer went down with the ship. So Jonas Brigg, a sailor on the Carpathia adopted the dog. Rigel was called a hero and did not seem to have any ill effects from the disaster. Hero status cannot be attributed to the other four dogs and the pig, which were rescued. It can also be noted that some survivors did not earn that status as well. In the end, all that can be said is that 1,522 people met their doom upon the high seas with approximately two thousand rats, while survivors choose to save dogs and a pet pig. ------------ About the author: Corinne Brown is the author of the children's book, The Stowaway On The Titanic. She has her Master's degree in history. She is a member of SCBWI and Michigan Playwrights, and has adapted The Stowaway On The Titanic into a two act play appropiate for school or community performances. The author has also written the easy reader chapter book, Let's Keep This Secret. It is the story about a slave girl who loves the time she spends with her family and the rare opportunity she has to read. Ms. Brown teachs at an elementary school. She is available for author school visits, and to do presentations at libraries, museums, churchs, book fairs, etc. You can visit her homepage by going to writers.net and entering her name, Corinne Brown, or go directly to her homepage at: http:/beta.hometown.aol.com/corinnehwkids/myhomepage/business.html |
