TALES OF SEA-COOKS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 69, 6 March 1914, Page 1

TALES OF SEA-COOKS.

Those who now go down to the ion in ships as passengers on ordinary liners have no conception of the trials and discomforts of half a century ago. .Many travellers then were obliged to go by sailing vessels on account of the cheaper rates, and numerous were the "Smart Clippers" advertised to sail "carrying a .surgean, a stewarde-s, and a tow." Why the hovine animal was also hracketted with the doctor and the stewardess is a mystery. Still worse was the tribulation of the unfortunate traveller who had to take passage on some ocean "tramp," as the icllowing story will show. An Englishman, who had business in a- port seldom visited hy Hritish ships, was obliged to travel in an ill-found' vessel carrying, as officers, only one mate beside the captain. The steward had to practise. rhjid economy io eke nut the •slender supply of provisions furnished by tho owners, "and the c-tbin table was but sparingly taken at meal timM.

, One day the steward presented a iaiu pudding of the "roly-poly" kind 'lor dinner, whicli ho calculated wa,s just sufficient lor the three, and, having an idea that the, two oflieers were in league to cheat the passenger out of his share of provisions, stood near the door to watch the results.

Tlic captain, nith n knife <-nr<>l'nlly poised, suddenly said to tin* pa.-scnL'er, "Mr Jones, sir. do ymi like ouddin' ends?"

.Mr Jones. \vh> considered Jiiimsclf fully entitled t" the middle niece, replied with dignity, "No. captain, I do not like pudding ends." "Ah! well, mo and my mate d.ies," said the skipper, and, eu'ltin-j; the. pudding ill two. slipntd one-half on to the mate's plate and the oilier hall" on hi.; own. leaving Mr Jones sp, oohleM, with anger and amazement. On another occasion. the cook on a sailing vessel had so hadl.v mixed the pudding that all the plums wore on one side, and this the lynx eye of the captain quickly noted, so he carefully turned the. olumless side to his mate'before (ommoiiciiig to serve. Hut his attention being called away, the mate deftlv turned the dish round again. When he saw the captain had realised his action, they both looked quizzically inio each other's eyes. The. mate then bur.rt out laughing and .said;, -'Don't you think it's best to cut cross-wife, captain?"—' Cottager and Artisa.ii.'