The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
JOY FOR THE SEA COOK
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONARY HAS AN
EASIER JOB THAN FORMERLY.
Some OF the Standard Dishes Served
to Sailors-Service on n Mod
ern Liner.


mighty neutrality-suspicious. that day by
day push the white sails OF the old-time
commemorative farther and farther from
the direct routes OF trade-have worked rev.
olution in the lives of the men "who go
down to the sea in ships" To some these
changes have worked certain woe. There
is the foremost hand, who once was wealth
erly wise aloft, knew how and when to reef
and furl, could steer the plunging packet
into the froth of gale by the shiver of the
foresail Ieech, and work wonderful devices
with marlin spike and a rope: and who
now is a deck washer, a scrubber Of paint
and booster of passengers luggage. On
the other hand, there is the sea cook, once
the despised and derided doctor" of the
sailing ships, a man with two dishes which
were worth while, one of which was lob
scouse" and the other wasn't. To-day the
sea cook on the liner is functionary, a
man OF mark. drawing salary that would
make an old-tfmer green with envy, having
satellites, attendants and understrappers
galore.
The struggles Of the old-time sea cook,
with his limited larder. his unhandy sur
roundings, would have been ludicrous had
they not been fraught with too deep a sig
nificance to the hungry crew; this made
them pathetic. The cook Is a regularly
articled member Of the crew on sailing
vessel, and this is no nominal service. At
the cry "all hands on deck" he may have
to leave his kettles. matter how critical
the moment On some ships II used 10 be
the cooks especial duty to tend the fore
sheet. When he came back the soft bread
was burnt in the baking. the hot pie" was
a wreck. and the dogs body reduced to
unnourishing bones.
Even with smiling skies and everything
going his way the sailing cooks life is
by no means a merry one. His galley Is
on deck. often forward. just where a good
boarding sea can soak 1t, and where he
gets the full fling and send of the rollers.
How he keeps pots on the stove in a jump
ing sea Is a question which he could not
answer himself. but he must manage it.
Perhaps the small size Of his gally helps,
for its space is usually not more than
six feet by twelve, and he can stand in
the middle and reach almost anything
without jumping for it. Then again the
restrictions are such that he is not apt to
have mis- pots trimming over. On most
sailing vessels the sea cook is limited to
two quarts OF fresh water daily for each
man. and with this he is expected to pro-
duce a full quart of coffee, pint and a
half of tea, and a pint of pea soup. 1t
will be seen that clever management is
needed for this feat
WATER is A LUXURY.
On three days of the week he has to
make dun of bread instead OF pea soup.
The ingredients for this duff, or bread,
are a half pound OF -four per man, some
fat boiled from the salt beef. generally
Gastronomic luxuries on the sailing ship
include such luxuries as 'lobscouse," dan
dyfunk'' and dogs body" 'Lobscouse"
Is, withaI. simple luxury. but it has it's
drawbacks. for it can be made only after
a heavy shower OF rain or at such times
as the steward can be prevailed upon to
be generous and serve out an extra bucket
of water. The amount OF water on a long
voyage is necessarily limited, and the usual
service does not admit of "lobscouse."
Having the water then, heaven sent, or
otherwise, this is how "lobscouse'' is made
Take the salt beef and pork scraps remain
ing from previous meals. cut into chunks
and heave into a pot. Smash up some hard
tack with Delaying pin and heave in
about an equal quantity with the meat.
An onion and some pepper, If obtainable,
will add TO the flavor. Cover with water
let IL simmer gently, and serve hot.
"Dandyfunk" is sort OF nautical ginger
bread. You put hard tack into a canvas
tag and pound 1t with sailmaker's NAL
let until IL Is reduced to minute fragments.
Mix to q paste with water. molasses and
carefully selected "slush." Put ia a baking
pan and bake until brown. A little ginger
Of course adds to this delectable dish, and
Is available IL the steward is feeling good
natured-
Dogs body hardly merits so unpro-
pitious a name. 1t is really "dandyfunk'
with the molasses left out and replaced by
the day allowance OF pea soup and some
bits OF fine chopped pork Onions must be
, obtained, either by cajolery or treachery,
added. and the whole baked and served
hot Sometimes the men themselves prepare
this dish from the remnants of preceding
meals and, If the cook is feeling well, he
puts II In the oven for them; If not. 1t has
to wait over till more suspicious day.
Such were the table luxuries served by
the old-tine sea cook. and it must be con-
fessed that he did as well as he could, sur
prisingly well under the circumstances
Such an one would be lost in amazement,
however. on a modern liner. Serve lob
scouse'' on any one OF the passenger ships
OF the Morgan merger and where would
you be? Not one OF these but serves a daily
menu equaled only in the very best and
most expensive hotels. Here is not one
cook, but many. and the duties are divided
SO that each may pursue his speciality Take
one OF the American line vessels. for in
stance, where American wages are paid.
and things are done in American fashion.
There is the chief cook. earning SEQ a
month, a second who gets $40. and a third
receiving SIS. There is the French cook.
chef drawing $50 first vegetable cook at
SIS and two more at 81. There are two
scuIlery men who draw 81 each, and all
this imposing array is for the first cabin
alone.
IN THE BIG LINERS GALLEYS.
For the second class there Is still another
chief cook, drawing $3.50 a month: a sec
ond at SIS. and two more receiving ST.
When you come 10 the third class-the
steerage as we used TO call 1t before the
big improvements that were made in recent
years when third class on a boat like
the Cedric or Celtic means more than
cabin did once on a time-there are still
three cooks. first. second and third. drawing
$50 80. so and 81. according TO their re-
spective Importance The second and third
class passengers have no French chef, as