Sketches Afloat with the Whalers 271 



you don't say it's a good stew, then call me a bad 

 cook.' The smell had waked up the rest of the 

 chaps by this time, and we was all ready for our 

 meal when she dished it up. Well, sir, I never 

 eat anything like that stew in all my born days. 

 I s'pose it was because I was hungry, partly, but 

 then it really was extremely nice as she made it, 

 for we had it often after that when we wasn't so 

 sharp set. 



"The woman she looked on quite delighted 

 for to see us eat, and a-fillin' each chap's dish 

 as fast as it was empty; but arter she had helped 

 us all around for the sixth time . . . says she, 

 Til bet you don't any of you know what you've 

 been eatin'.' 



"Well, marm,' said our skipper, 'that 'ere 

 was jist the question I was a-goin' for to ask you; 

 this here's a powerful good stew, and shows that 

 you're a fust-class cook, but that of course 

 you would be, comin' from Nantucket, but 

 I hain't seen no birds onto the island, and I can't 

 jist judge from the taste what sort of a animal 

 you've made it of.' 



"Well,' says she, 'that there was a rat stew, 



