The Cook

The kind heart ***** cook saved me, “Pitch all your sweet meats over-board and turn upon the hearty salt beef and ship bread . . .you’ll be as hearty as any of ‘em afore you are up to the horn.” They called the cook “Doctor”, and you should want to be in his favor, Should you need to dry your stockings, lite your pipe or get a little extra scouse on your tin. The doctor taught me superstitions of the sea. Of stories and dreams and the unusual behavior of men before death. Plaguy and vexatious things and event that were bothersome to him. He had special affection for “Old Bess” the ships pig.He felt that Finnish sailors were wizards with power of wind and storm. There was no reasoning with him for he had experience on his side and was not to be moved. He called on elders to back his story, and they did regaling their own wizardly tales of Finnish ghost ships and the like. “Dar,” said the cook, “what you tink o’ dat?” He was a free man this simple-hearted old African.