Keelhauling

Keelhauling, a punishment in use in the navy during the 17th and 18th centuries. The culprit was suspended from one yard-arm, then suddenly dropped into the water, and hauled beneath the keel up to the yard-arm on the other side. This was the mode adopted on large square-rigged vessels. On small fore-and-aft vessels the delinquent was let down over the bows, and was drawn aft underneath and along the keelson by a hauling-line, and brought up at the rudder-chains. (Cf. Marryat's Dog Friend.) Keelhauling was practised on an Egyptian corvette so recently as August 1882.