The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-23
GOULD'S SEA-C0OK TALKS
A CATERERS REGULATIONS ON 4
MILLIONAIRE'S YACHT

Jimmy" Lemons Interesting Remin
iscences of the Years He Spent on
the "Corsair" and the "Atalsnta''-
jay is a Poor Sailor and Dodges
the Wind - An Adventure at He'll
Gate-Gould's Exclusiveness on ais
Yacht.
Copyright 1882
New York, June 22-Did you ever try
10 play cook at a picnicl Possibly you did.
and afterward you were generous enough
to be sorry for the victims who felt them
selves bound, out of respect for your feel
ings. to pull through the msnu your inge-
puity had devised, disbolical though it may
have seemed to most of them.
PLAYING cook at picnic is a fool TO be-
ing caterer on a yacht. The sea cook, far
from being sinecurist. is one Of the hard
est worked and least appreciated of mortals
At sea all appetites are either omnivorous,
or as coy as village miss at her first dane
ing party, for there can hardly be said to lie
a medium appetite there. One of the most
experienced of yachting cooks is Jimmy"
Lennon, who for four years was chef aboard
millionaire D. Pierpont Morgan's steam
Yacht. the "Corsair,n aftsrward serving in
the same capacity for Jay Gould on the
famous "AtalanJa." Jimmy has retired
from the sea and now cooks on dry land,
in his own snug little hostelry The Ian
trv.n on Borden avenue, Long Island city,
His cove of retirement is made all the more
attractive as an anchorage for the ex-sea-
dog by the presence of pretty wife, who
acts as first mate and stewa dess.
''It is going on seven years since | en-
gagged on the 'Corsair.' said Lennon yes
terday, steadying himself on the edge of his
chair, and rolling 1t backward and for
ward with the true SWING of the prac-
ticed mariner. "She was a magnificent
yacht, and had commisariat that did her
credit.
''Eat Why, bless your heart, the Cor
sair' was the greatest place for good eating
that ever hoated since the ark. We used
to have some right big parties aboard, too.
OF course when visitors came, the table
had to be something extra, but that " as
easy enough, as expense was the last con-
sideration. We used to run up as far as New
London with party Coz sisting, say, of Mr..
and Mrs. Morgan and the family-al good
sailors. t o. none of 'em ever seasick as
long as knew 'em-Charles Lanier, Mr..
Winslow. his partner, the Peabody'S and a
lot more gentlemen whose names | don't re-
member now.
Before leaving New York. always laid
In partridges, chicken, reed birds, duck and
capons, by the dozen, bushels of little neck
CLAIMS, half a beef or so, aud plenty of prime
lamb-in fact, everything necessary that
would keep on a trip lasting a week
or ten days. OF course we had
wines and cigars in stock, these
having been selected by the owner
himself and being he choicest brands in the
market We never took oysters and fish
with US; no yacht ever does. They can buy
all they need and get them prime and fresh
as they go along.
''When went ON the 'Atalanta'-let me
see, yes it's four years agone-she had crew
of about sixty men all told. 1t cost $500
day or just $4,000 a month to keep her,
when in commission. had five assistants
under me in the kitchen. Jim Peckham,
now the chef of the 'Corsair,' was my first
assis ant, and ON Booth was second
both very smart cooks and fit to fill any
position, almost. Well, it was very differ
emit on the 'Atalanta' from what il was on
the 'Corsair.' You see, sir, Mr.. Gould isn't
much Of sailor even yet, and that was his
first season; so suppose you may set it
down that he was a trifle timid. If ever
there was family yacht, that was the one,
although it was built aud fitted up more ex-
pensively than any other that fioated at
that time, I've heard say.
Nobody knew whether Gould could
stand rough weather or not, because ne
never gave the weather a chance that wear.
He always lodged a breeze or fought shy of
it. 1t was new business for him, you see,
this tackling Neptune in bull movement,
and he didn't know but he might have made
a mistake. We all came to the conclusion
that be would never amount to much as a
sailor, anyhow. He was the most cautious
man I ever knew on yacht, and he used
to be much of the time in the engine
room.
IT remember once seeing him in ter
rible fume. We were going through Hell
Gate, when, through some mischance or
other, nobody ever knew just how it was,
we came very near running on to Flood
Rock. The engines were stopped and our
course changed not a moment too soon.
Mr. Gould was pale and said nothing while
the peril lasted, but he stood there with his
mouth tightly closed and his lips pressed
down firmly together in the way that tells
you that man is doing a powerful lot of
think &. When it was all over and we
were safely under way, be said:
After this, captain, the ''Atalantan win
60 outside and around the island
'sHe dreaded Flood Rock always, after
that, aud could never be persuaded to pass
that way. When you see the 'AtaIanta'
going up by Hell Gate you may safely
wager that Mr.. Gould isn't aboard
Another thing he dreaded terribly was
seasickness. In fact he took good care
never to go far enough out to get seasick.
His usual run was from Irvington to the
Battery and back. He would take break
fast with his family on board, or alone, if
they happened to stay home No matter
who was there, Mr.. Gould's own breakfast
was exceedingly plain, as indeed all his
meals were. On the mornin' run down to
the Battery, he would eat some baked pota-
toes, corn bread aud cup of coffee. The
others, of course, would have what they
wanted, as there would always be chops,
steaks, birds, joints and various fancy
dishes on the table. But, bless you, fancy
dishes had no charms for MIR. Gould. AL.
though there were always wine at table, he
never drank, as far as / know, for bis
glasses were untouched. His dinners were
as severely plain as his breakfast, and imag-
inc that his downtown lunch must have
astonished good many of his Wall street
friends and acquaintances.
He was great family man, sir, ever
on his yacht Most millionaires who OWE
yachts nowadays, like to make a show OF
'em to their friends and to give partie:
aboard, but it was different altogether
with Mr.. Gould. Whatever he might q
done at home he certainly didn't follow
the fashion in giving dinner and yachting
parties on the ATLANTA Of course, some
times he would have a guest or two, but
they we're mostly business friends with
whom he had something to discuss, men like
Giovanni p. Morosini, Russell Sage, and
think have seen IIncfa Rufu9 Hatch q nd