Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-03-22
ERIIAHA
UNDER THE KEEL.

keel-hauling, as ordinarily practiced
in former days, was very simple pro-
ceeding. The refractory sailor was tied
to the middle part of long rope, por-
ton of which had previously been car
ried under the bowsprit and gradually
drawn backward till it cncircled the
waist of the ship. The rope was then
drawn slowly under the bottom of the
ship, dragging the helpless sailor with
it. 1t was the scvercst of punishments,
but it is now seldom, perhaps never, re-
sorted to-at least on board American
merchantmen. The victim always
emerged from the water half drowned,
and often, indeed, he never recovered
from the injury. 1t was found that
person who had accidentally fallen into
the water might stay under twice the
time of one that was keel-hauled, and
yet recover. In fact, it commonly re-
qlires eight minutes or longer to drown
n person, but man was seldom kept
under the bottom of ship more than
three, or at most five minutes. 1t would
appear that the knowledge that he was
about to be immersed in water created
such an excitement and horror in the
victim that when the water entered his
lungs it found them in an unnatural con-
dition, and congestion was undoubtedly
quickly produced, which, if severe,
proved fatal of itself before the man
had time to die of suffocation or, if not
so severe, still resulted in more perma-
nent injury than that ordinarily suffered
by person who has been nearly drowned.
Fortunately, captains no longer conceive
themselves invested with that absolute
authority which led them to vent their
personal animosity upon those in their
power. Our laws and public sentiment
awakened by successive horrible expo
sures have done much to alleviate the
rigors of the entire system of discipline
on shipboard.
About twenty-five years ago, however,
the large coasting schooner "Belle of
the Wave" was lying becalmed off Pen
sacola Bay, in the Gulf Her captain
was of the old-fashioned kind of large
hearted, indolent, storytelling South
erners, but with swarthy complexion,
shifting black eyes, and thin lips that
indicated a relentless disposition if en-
ragged. At Charleston he had shipped
as common sailor an Englishman. The
latter was of pale complexion, with
very light hair and small features. His
countenance was intellectual in it's ex-
preston, but showed, also, an indecision
of character and want of that quality
in the man that helps person to get on
III the world. In every intellectual ac-
complshment he was infinitely the cap
tain's superior, and with the strong
prejudices of his type of men, the latter
had conceived a violent dislike for him.
He had proved to know nothing of the
duties OF sailor, and had signed his
papers because he had found himself in
utterly destitute circumstances, and had
been obliged to do something to save
himself from starvation.
While passing around Florida Keys
the new sailor, with an utter ignorance
of his place on shipboard, had gone to
the after deck, where he had been dis
covered by the captain telling his little
daughter some old English fairy story.
Haditbeenany of the other hands, the cap
tain would probably have grufay ordered