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From Presidents to poets, the Newfoundland has a well respected spot in history. There are numerous accounts of life-saving by this noble breed and
great acts of companionship.
First dogs of our Presidents include President Ulysses S. Grant's Newf Faithful, President Rutherford B. Haye's Newfoundland Hector, and President
James Buchanan's Newfie Lara. Can you imagine the likes of a Newfoundland galumping around the White House?
From the literary side of life, there are many inspired tales that were brought about thanks to the Newfoundland. J.M. Barrie modeled Nana in Peter
Pan after his own Newfoundland. Carol was the Newfoundland of Emily Dickinson. Boatswain was the pet of English poet Lord Byron and was the
subject of his poem Epitaph to a Dog.
There have been many brave and adventurous Newfoundlands through the years. An unnamed Newfoundland is given credit for saving the life of
Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. Napoleon was knocked overboard into rough seas during his escape from exile on the island of Elba. A fisherman's
Newfoundland kept Napoleon afloat until he could be rescued. Seaman, the Newfoundland of Meriwether Lewis, was a proud member of the Lewis and
Clark Expedition from 1803 to 1806. Seaman accompanied his master all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back across the United States. During the
expedition, Seaman got bitten by a beaver on his hind leg and almost bled to death. He caught squirrels, fish and antelope for the men in the
party. He scared buffalo and bear away from the camp. In April of 1806, Seaman was kidnapped by Chinook Indians. It took three men to rescue him.
Sgt. Gander was the mascot Newfoundland of the Royal Rifles of Canada who was killed in the Battle of Hong Kong when he carried a live grenade
away from wounded soldiers. He was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal.
Life-saving Newfoundlands hold a special place of honor in the history of this brave and noble breed. In 1832, Ann Harvey, her father, and a
Newfoundland named Hairy Man saved over 180 Irish immigrants from the wreck of the brig Despatch off the coast of Newfoundland. Their tale is
written about in Heroes of Isle aux Morts by Alice Walsh. On December 10, 1919, The SS Ethie wrecked off the coast of Newfoundland in a violent
storm. A fishing family sent their Newfoundland to help. The dog retrieved a rope that had been thrown into the sea by people on the deck. The dog
brought the rope to shore. Ninety-two people and a baby were saved by attaching a breaches buoy to the rope.
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