BEAR ON A BATTLESHIP

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11855, 14 June 1924, Page 9

BEAR ON A BATTLESHIP

&ome amusing stories are told by an officer in His Majesty’s Navy who kepi a pet bear on board for some months. Kim, the bear, was once nearly the ca use °f an international incident. We were lying in a certain liarm k a foreign man-o’-war,” said the officer. “No one had noticed i s • c ” sa, PP earance > w hen we suddenly obse/ved a good deal of unwonted activity on the part of our neighbours. Some were up the funnel and some up the mast; the decks were as clear as the noonday, and every hatch was closed, and on the quartor-uetk, 6trolhng leisurely about, was ICim Of course, we immediately sent over and fetched him away, with profuse aoolof»ios, and all ended well, Ow another occasion a distinguishofficer had been paying an official call on our captain. He went over the side with much piping, bugling and ceremony. Halfway down the ladder he .noticed that his boat was already occupied by Kim, who va» lolling m the stem-sheets in a vorv i degage manner. By tho time he had i been remo-ed, the dignity of tho distinguished officer’s departure had ueeu somewhat marred."