The Cook of the “gannet” Page #3

"The Cook of the 'Gannet'" by W.W. Jacobs is a humorous tale set aboard a fishing boat named the Gannet. The story revolves around the quirky dynamics between the crew, particularly the character of the cook, who is often embroiled in comical situations due to his culinary mishaps and interactions with the other sailors. Jacobs expertly blends wit and observational humor, capturing the essence of maritime life and the camaraderie among seafarers. Through lively characters and engaging dialogue, the novella explores themes of friendship, rivalry, and the everyday absurdities of life at sea.

• Fiction

								

on deck yawning and rubbing their eyes, while the mate explained the
situation. Before he had finished the cook suddenly darted off to the
galley, and the next moment the forlorn cry of a bereaved soul broke on
their startled ears.

“What is it?” cried the mate.

“Come here!” shouted the cook, “look at this!”

He struck a match and held it aloft in his shaking fingers, and the
men, who were worked up to a great pitch of excitement and expected to
see something ghastly, after staring hard for some time in vain,
profanely requested him to be more explicit.

“She’s thrown all the saucepans and things overboard,” said the cook
with desperate calmness. “This lid of a tea kettle is all that’s left
for me to do the cooking in.”

The Gannet, manned by seven famine-stricken misogynists, reached
London six days later, the skipper obstinately refusing to put in at an
intermediate port to replenish his stock of hardware. The most he would
consent to do was to try and borrow from a passing vessel, but the
unseemly behaviour of the master of a brig, who lost two hours owing to
their efforts to obtain a saucepan of him, utterly discouraged any
further attempts in that direction, and they settled down to a diet of
biscuits and water, and salt beef scorched on the stove.

Mrs. Blossom, unwilling perhaps to witness their sufferings, remained
below, and when they reached London, only consented to land under the
supervision of a guard of honour, composed of all the able-bodied men
on the wharf.
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