Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-23
4aisftllanerns.
British ssKeeIhauIIDg .


1t makes ones blood boil to read of such
cruelty ~ is alleged to be practised in the
Bsitish navy. It can hardly be otherwise
than true. however. for i. comes well au-
thenticated, and with circumstantial de-
scription which bears the marks OF truth.
The story is told by the Alexandria cor
respondent of the London Advertiser, who
was IN eye witness to what he DESERVES
from the deck of the steamer Sumafra.
What the offence was for which the pun
ishn,ent was afflicted. is not stated. Nor
does it make much difference. Such
modes of punishment would be worthy OF
the deepest barbarism, and should cause
m outburst of indignation from the whole
civilized world against England:
The men were brought on deck at noon.
and their sentence was read out before
the assembled crew. The tackle, con-
sisting of two ropes running from lead
ing blocks made fast to the MAIN
stay and passed under the keel Of
the ship, was prepared and attached
to the cuIprits bodies. The crew were
then divided, half Of them put to each
rope, and the two wretches being led to
the side were showed overheard. They
both screamed as they fell in the water.
and as the distance from the gangway TO
the surface was quite Is feet, they must
have been more or less hurt. But this
was only the beginning of their miseries.
The men on one side hauled taut the rope
underneath the ship. and then the order
to "walk away" was given. The band
played solemn tune. something like the
Carnival of Venice" in movement, ex
cept the tune was changed, and stamp,
stamp, stamp went the men.
We saw the two wretches go under,
and then the only movements were the
ropes going through their blocks. one side
playing cut, the other coming in, but
slowly. We had no measurement of the
ship, but as the rope acted directly-that
is, there were no moving blocks-the dis
lance around the bottom was exactly that
covered by the men as they walked the
dock drawing the rope behind them.
Thus we were able to make some
estimate of the distance, and we calculated
it at so feet from surface to surface. Pres
emily the two victims appeared on the
other side They were hauled quite out
of the water, and the rope by which they
were hoisted was made fast and coiled up
ready to pay out again. An officer
probably doctOr-went down and exam
ined them. The one upon whom the
strain of the rope had fallen was apparent
ly lifeless. His face was turned toward
MS; it was bleeding and torn; his clothes
were hanging in shreds and his hands
were dripping with blood. The ships
bottom, covered with barnacles. rasped
upon the poor devils like nails. The other
man seemed to be conscious. His back,
as he hung in the air, was towards us. but
he moved his head, we thought, and APP
parently to beg for mercy.
Evidently the officer reported them
still alive, for when he had come on
deck again the two men were lowered
into the water. and the crew manning
the rope that led up from the
other side marched away with it. and
once more the victims disappeared.
From the time they went under the sur
face of the water until they reappeared
on the other side of the ship was just
"a seconds. II seemed to us to have been
an hour. The first frightful journey had
terminated by their being scratched and
torn; at the end of the second they were
mutilated. The nose of one wretch was
torn almost away, one ear gone. and the
shreds of the clothing he had worn chung
to him only where they were held by his
bonds. He was blood. literally from head
to foot. His companions condition was
equally horrible. This time they were
hoisted up to the rail and swung on board.
then we could See something of the action
Of this barbarous punishment. for they
were not held off the side, but were
scraped up along the ship, striking against
the ringbolts, the chains and every cruel
obstruction until they swung in free over
the deck. Then they were lowered down
and released. They were both uncon-
scious. probably even then dead. 1t may
be hoped they were. Death must have
been welcome release.