When, upon the beef being fished out with a huge pitch-fork, the water for the evening's tea is poured in; which, consequently possesses a flavour not unlike that of shank-soup.
From this it will be seen, that, so far as cooking is concerned, a "_cook of the mess_" has very little to do; merely carrying his provisions to and from the grand democratic cookery.

Still, in some things, his office involves many annoyances.

Twice a week butter and cheese are served out--so much to each man--and the mess-cook has the sole charge of these delicacies.

The great difficulty consists in so catering for the mess, touching these luxuries, as to satisfy all.

Some guzzlers are for devouring the butter at a meal, and finishing off with the cheese the same day; others contend for saving it up against _Banyan Day_, when there is nothing but beef and bread; and others, again, are for taking a very small bit of butter and cheese, by way of dessert, to each and every meal through the week.