The meat was suffered to remain in the boiler a certain time, then the
cook's bell was rung, and the pittance of food must be immediately
removed, whether sufficiently cooked or not. The proportion of peas
and oatmeal belonging to each mess was measured out of the copper
after it was boiled.
The cook alone seemed to have much flesh on his bones. He had been a
prisoner, but seeing no prospect of ever being liberated he had
offered his services, and his mates and scullions were also prisoners
who had followed his example. The cook was not ill-natured, and
although often cursed by the prisoners when out of hearing, he really
displayed fortitude and forbearance far beyond what most men would
have been capable of showing. "At times, when his patience was
exhausted, he did, indeed, make the hot water fly among us, but a
reconciliation was usually effected with little difficulty.
"Many of the different messes had obtained leave from His Majesty the
Cook to prepare their own rations, separate from the general mess in
the great boiler. For this purpose a great many spikes and hooks had
been driven into the brick-work by which the boiler was enclosed, on
which to suspend their tin kettles. As soon as we were permitted to go
on deck in the morning, some one took the tin kettle belonging to the
mess, with as much water and as many splinters of wood as we had been
able to procure during the previous day, and carried them to the
Galley; and there having suspended his kettle on one of the hooks or
spikes stood ready to kindle his little fire as soon as the Cook or
his mates would permit.
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