IN THE DAYS OF SAIL 77 



summer day. Yet in such a den the little apprentice, 

 who was cook and general drudge, would spend most of 

 his time, attending to his glowing stove with the huge 

 kettle on top with its constant supply of smacksman's 

 tea. There was this to be said for the cook-steward 

 that his dishing and waiting duties were simple. He 

 merely took the tin dish of beef, vegetables, fish, or what- 

 ever might be in preparation, and put it on the floor or 

 the table, and the crew helped themselves, pronging with 

 their own forks or, more often, helping themselves with 

 their fingers. If a cabin had a table, it was hinged, so 

 that the sides could be quickly let down and provide a 

 space between the table and the lockers. When seated 

 on the lockers, the flaps were raised and the meal 

 proceeded. 



Sometimes these little cabins were crowded to suffo- 

 cation. These would be on notable occasions such as 

 "mutton parties," of which I attended one. We had 

 towed a leg of mutton astern for three days, to keep it 

 fresh, and on joining the fleet the joint was cooked, with 

 an enormous supply of vegetables. A number of friendly 

 skippers were bidden to the feast, and the cabin became 

 a mass of huge human bulks. The mutton turned like 

 magic to a bone, which was picked clean by a favoured 

 guest who had it in his great hands ; the beer vanished, 

 vast quantities of tea disappeared, and the atmosphere 

 turned to the density of a London fog with tobacco 

 smoke. For some time I could not understand a solemn 

 silence which possessed the company, broken only by 

 low but earnest ejaculations. At last I discovered that 

 the men were gambling for cabbages. 



Very rarely, when the weather was exceptionally fine 



