SEA COOKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1925, Page 1

SEA COOKS.

A CAPTAIN'S F.XPKBIFXCES. DUNEDIN, July 27. Sea cooks differ considerably m ina ii v ways. Milch depends on the capabilities of a sea cool; so far as the pea-o ( f the whole of a ship's crew is concerned. Some are good and some are so deficient in the art that they call forth very harsh words from their fellow shipmates. While conversing wiili ihe captain of a steamer to-day a “Daily Times' reporter learned much regarding Hie manner in which some men bluff their way to sea as the chief dispenser of the victuals of a ship.

“Cooks!” said the captain with bitter scorn. “Why. bless vour soul, half of them could not. cook salt water. T have had a long and hitter experience of cooks since my ship first came to Australian waters. ] lost the cook who made the trip to Sydney from the other side of the world. Now lie was what I call a cook. Du fori unatcIv he had to enter a hospital in Australia..

“Ami what a time 1 have had since in trying to secure die services of a veal cook to take his place ! One Ulan sinned on the articles at Newcastle some time ago. He came to me, Inter and said he could not undertake, two jobs. 1 asked him to explain what he meant h.v two jobs. ‘Well, captain, he replied, ‘I cannot cook and booze too/ 1 asked him which of the two jobs he intended to take on. He said in a drawling voice that he would take on the booze job. ‘Right.' T said. Out you go!’ ‘‘Wo engaged a mail at another Australian port. T signed him on tlio articles. When the ship readied the open sea and when he stood before me I was dumbfounded. No man ever gazed upon such a strange-looking human freak:. He was all out of shape, poor devil, and of course he could not coo!;, as 1 said before, even salt water. But there was nothing else for it. and we had to put up with his cooking for a voyage to an outlying Pacific island and hack to Australia.”