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Author Topic:   Keel Hauling
Canadian Sailor
unregistered 		posted January 21, 2003 08:53 AM           
Hello all,

This is going to be a very different topic from what is usually posted here.

Here goes: I read this book, and there was a pirate whose boat was called "The Bloody Keel" because she enjoyed "Keel Hauling" her prisoners.

Any guesses to what this "Keel Hauling" is?

Thanks

------------------
Canadian Sailor ;)
"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you
criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes."

Celtic Kiss
unregistered 		posted January 21, 2003 02:15 PM           
Keel hauling was a form of punishment used during the age of Tall Ships. In fact it was quite common in the British Navy. I saw this in a movie once and basically what happened was the offender was tied to a tether and had his arms and legs bound as well. The offender was then thrown overboard and the deckhands of the ship would grab the tether and haul the guy around the underhull of the ship. Hence the term "keel hauling".
I remember when I was in sea cadets and an officer (chaplain) explained this to us. He also pointed out that the barnacles etc. would literally tear open the flesh of the guy. If he didn't drown, the infections from the wounds would be left up to the doctor who's cure was sometimes worse than the punishment!!

Robert
Celtic Kiss #2120

whited
unregistered 		posted January 21, 2003 03:24 PM           
Agree with Robert although attached link disagrees on the barnacle question http://www.urbanlegends.com/language/keelhauling_running_the_gauntlet.html

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