The Mankato free press., 1893-12-15
fLOGGING BRliior1 SEAMEN.
How the Cat Was Formerly Used In thu
English Navy.

English Navy.
The following graphic description of the
manner in which the 'cat' used 10 be adj
ministered in the royal navy is from the
pen of an able seaman:
1 now gave a look to the poor fellow who
was fogged yesterday He is Welsh
man, aged 90, and came from London to
the gold diggings in the Tynemouth, and
turned out very bad fellow, spent his
money instead of going to the diggings,
and joined the ship as boy just when l
did Well, he has been punished all sorts
of ways He was imprisoned for a month,
but still he was abusive to every one-the
essence of blackguard (although well
educated and of good family He was
hated by all on board. At length he at
tempted to desert, was caught, put in
irons-wrists and ankles-and kept lying
ON the lower deck all night, just below my
hammock, swearing awfully.
Yesterday morning, at 6 o'clock, we
| heard the order, "All hands clear for quar-
! ters'
We knew directly the tragedy about to
be enacted. | cleaned, went to the cabin
and quietly began to write. l saw the
marines putting on their cross belts, the
officers donning their best uniforms. Pres
entity the captain came into the cabin in
full uniform. Then he gave the order,
"All hands aft" They all crowded up,
the doctor among the rest, all in full
uniform and dress swords. The prisoner
was brought forward, scowling on all
sides. The officers and men removed their
caps, and the sentence was read. Then
two quartermasters stepped forward and
lashed the prisoners wrists and ankles to
IaI h.
was stripped to the waist, and a canvas
cloth tied round his loins to catch the
blood from his back. Now the boatswain's
mate appeared with the dreaded 'cat" in
his hand The handle was about Is inches
long, and the nine tails about two feet
long, of whipcord the size of quill pen.
The mate measured the distance and
gave the "cat" swift swing round his
head. The prisoner gave smothered cry,
and nine blood red streaks appeared on
his back. Zone" cried out the master
at arms, l turned my head aside, and
saw the chief engineer bury his face in his
hands,
"Two, three, four" repeated the loud
voice. / dared not look, but heard the
sharp, shrill swish of the ''cat," as, in
measured time, it fell upon the mans
DacK. his cries HOW UeCdIlo lOuu anu dS
onizing.
'tFive," said the master at arms.
"Oh, mercy" replied the bleeding pris-
oner.
"Six''
"Oh, heaven!"
"Seven."
"Strike my ribs; oh, strike my ribs;
let's have change of position
eight
"Oh, you brute,' cried the prisoner
turning to the captain, who stood looking
on at the tragedy with solemn eyes.
"Nine," cried the master at arms.
"Do your duty, sir" said the first lieu
tenant to the perspiring mate, and the
mate stopped for moment to clean with
his fingers the clotted thongs of his "cat. F"
Then he threw the whole swing of his
body into ''ten' The Welshman uttered
yell that was heard by the sentry on the
forecastle of the flagship, at anchor two
miles off.
"Elevenl twelvel Chanter,' cried out
the lieutenant, and the boatswain's mate
of that name took the cat for IL more
and so on, fresh mate for every IL, until
the whole 4S lashes were delivered, leav
ing the youth a miserable, bleeding spec
tacle.-London Tit-Bits.