KEELHAUL
TO BE KEELHAULED TODAY IS MERELY TO BE GIVEN A SEVERE REPRIMAND
FOR SOME INFRACTION OF THE RULES. AS LATE AS THE 19TH CENTURY,
HOWEVER, IT MEANT THE EXTREME. IT WAS A DIRE AND OFTEN FATAL
TORTURE EMPLOYED TO PUNISH OFFENDERS OF CERTAIN NAVAL LAWS. AN
OFFENDER WAS SECURELY BOUND BOTH HAND AND FOOT AND HAD HEAVY
WEIGHTS ATTACHED TO HIS BODY. HE WAS THEN LOWERED OVER THE
SHIP’S SIDE AND SLOWLY DRAGGED ALONG UNDER THE SHIP’S
HULL. IF HE DIDN’T DROWN -- WHICH WAS RARE -- BARNACLES
USUALLY RIPPED HIM, CAUSING HIM TO BLEED TO DEATH. ALL NAVIES
STOPPED THIS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT MANY YEARS AGO AND TODAY
ANY SUCH PUNISHMENT IS FORBIDDEN.