Pirate Torture

[Jib]

We often hear of the brutality of pirates. Keel Hauling and the like. Just what did these tortures involve? How common where they? And are these action used to keep order in the ranks or create fear?

[Phillip Black]

I don't know much about torture of their own crew, but some of the worse pirates like Edward Low did some pretty nasty stuff to captured prizes' crew. I believe Low's specialty was cutting ears off, and once forced a captain to eat his own ears...

I also found these, but I don't know how authentic it is:

Keelhaul - to drag someone by rope under the ship from one side to the other, across the keel. The victim could easily drown, and certainly be cut to ribbons by barnacles and sea growth on the ship's hull.

Kissing the gunner's daughter - to be tied over one of the ship's cannons and flogged. "They caught him stealing, and now he's going to kiss the gunner's daugher."

Kiss the wooden lady - minor punishment where an offender is made to face a mast, his arms wrapped around it, and his wrists are tied on the other side. Shipmates might be encouraged to kick him in the arse as they go by. "He fell asleep on watch and the captain made him kiss the wooden lady."

Hope that helps!

[Jib]

I heard the Cat of Nine Tails is also from this time period. Hense the tern the cat is out of the bag!

[Caraccioli]

Perhaps the most vivid account of pirate torture I've come across is from an account by Aaron Smith from his book The Atrocities of Pirates which was published in 1824:

"[The pirate captain] turned to the man, told him that he should be killed, and therefore advised him to prepare for death or confess himself to any of the crew whom I chose to call aside for that purpose. The man persisted in his plea of innocence, declared that he had nothing to confess and entreated them all to spare his life. They paid no attention to his assertions, but by the order of the captain, the man was put into the [row]boat, pinioned, and lashed to the stern; and five of the crew were directed to arm themselves with pistols and muskets and to go in her. The captain then ordered me to go with them, savagely remarking that I should now see how he punished such rascals, and giving directions to the boat's crew to row for three hours backwards and forwards through a narrow creek formed by a desert island and the island of Cuba. 'I will see,' cried he, exultingly, 'whether the mosquitoes and the sand-flies will not make him confess."

"Prior to our leaving the schooner, the thermometer was above ninety degrees in the shade and the poor wretch was now exposed naked to the full heat of the sun. In this state we took him to the channel, one side of which was bordered by swamps full of mangrove trees and swarming with the venomous insects before mentioned.

"We had scarcely been half an hour in this place when the miserable victim was distracted with pain. His body began to swell and he appeared one complete blister from head to foot. Often in the agony of his torments did he implore them to end his existence and release him from his misery, but the inhuman wretches only imitated his cries and mocked and laughed at him. In a very short time, from the effects of the solar heat and the stings of the mosquitoes and sand-flies, his face had become so swollen that not a feature was distinguishable. His voice began to fail and his articulation was no longer distinct. ... His appearance at this time was no longer human and my heart bled at seeing a fellow creature thus tormented."

...

"On our arrival, his appearance was the source of merriment to all on board and the captain asked if he had made any confession. An answer in the negative gave him evident disappointment and he inquired of me whether I could cure him. [smith was the de facto surgeon, forced into duty by the pirates] I told him he was dying. 'Then he shall see some more of it before he dies,' cried the monster. and directed the boat to b e moored within musket shot in the bay. Thus having been done, he ordered six of the crew to fire at him. The man fell and the boat was ordered alongside. The poor wretch had only fainted and when the perceived that he breathed, a pig of iron was fastened around his neck and he was thrown into the sea."

Sort of makes you think twice about the romanticism associated with pirates, doesn’t it?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Yes Caraccioli, gruesome reminder of what this is all really about...

did the passage say what they thought he had done? (what did they want him to confess to?)

GoF

[Phillip Black]

Dear god Caraccioli! That is quite gruesome. That book is on my Amazon wishlist, and I'm not so sure I'm looking forward to it anymore...That really kills the idea of swashbuckling romanticized pirates. I too am interested to know what the poor fellow did to invoke their wrath so...Also, the pirate captain that ordered this torture, was he notorious? Would we recognize his name?

[Sir Eric]

Caraccioli ... nice! That has got to be one of the worst things I've ever heard done to a human that didn't involve teeth.

Ahh... but a little eye shaddow and a wry grin... the lasses seem to nevermind all that nastyness...