What were some of the punishments aboard ships?
While at sea, the sailors were under the rule of the Captain. His word was law. There were some accepted punishments for particular crimes, but they varied from country to country, navy to merchant fleet. The most common punishment was the lash. The offender would be tied to a mast or rack, his shirt removed and he would be struck a set amount of times based on his crime. The rope used was sometimes knotted at the end or it was a cat o nine tails. The cat had nine braded lines with a knot at the end of each one. The knot would cut the mans skin and it would take many days to heal. Other punishments included extra watch duties, reduced rations, and being placed in irons below decks. The worst, of course, was death; this sentence was usually given in the serious cases of mutiny or treason. Ferdinand Magellan hanged the leaders of a mutiny during his expedition.
