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The following story was told by the North Carolina branch of the Nantucket
Worth family. It was put into written form by Robert Worth Bingham, former
Ambassador to Great Britain, 1933-1937, and by Hiram B. Worth of
Greensboro, NC. The story can be found in other sources and publications
located in some public libraries.
Among the stories told by our ancestors, and preserved by the Worth Family
amongst the original settlers of Nantucket Island, the following I have
known for years, and well recall how my great-uncle, Addison Worth, upon
his frequent visits to our home in Wilmington sixty years ago, used to
take delight in calling us boys "dog-eaters," and how he loved to say that
"all Worth's are dog-eaters." I have heard the story at greater length,
especially the North Carolina ending of the same from my great-uncle Barzillai Gardner Worth and his daughter, Cornelia Worth French (our
much-loved "Cousin Nellie.") Our Worth ancestors and those of a number of the original settlers of Nantucket Island, came over from England together on the same ship. After a prolonged voyage they first made land on New Foundland. After a brief rest they set sail again, having replenished their water barrels and food supplies, and having procured a number of dogs for domestic pets and for the chase in their expected new home. But soon the wind failed them and for a long time they lay becalmed until all their food had been exhausted and starvation stared them in the face. Things got to such a desperate pass that they finally were forced to kill and eat their dogs. And thus they escaped with their lives ...there being but one pair of dogs left alive when the ship finally got to land. They were so thankful for this strange preservation of their lives that they determined to ever afterward observe a special day of thanksgiving and feasting which they would call "The Feast in Memory of the Dogs."
The
descendants of the remaining pair of dogs were preserved with great care
and an effort was made to always have at least one of them present at the
"Feast of the Dogs" which was the name by which Uncle Barzillai spoke of
it. Uncle Barzillai was married by 1844 and the dog memorial had been
annually observed up to that time, so his wedding day was set to conform
to the family memorial. The last of the long line of dogs, familiarly
known in the family by the name of "Old Lion" was present on this
wedding-memorial occasion. This old dog had his hair trimmed so that there
was sort of a lion-like mane, which suited his name perfectly. This much-loved dog, the last of his line, died before the next season and the memorial "Feast of the Dog" was discontinued, but memory was kept green for a long time and Uncle Addison never failed to boast of it. Maybe he cherished a little of the feeling the Chinese believe in so firmly, that the well-known fidelity for which Worth's are noted was acquired and transmitted to their descendants from the dogs to which they owed their lives and whose fidelity is proverbial. For additional and interesting information on this story, please CLICK HERE. |
