| Category | Ships |
| Type | naval terminology |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Aft | rear half of the ship |
| Beam | maximum width of a ship |
| Bow | fore part of the ship |
| Fore | front half of the ship |
| keelhauling | punishment |
| Mast | holds the sails |
| Port | facing the fore, the left side of the ship |
| Running the Gauntlet | punishment |
| Starboard | facing the fore, the right side of the ship |
| Stern | aft part of the ship |
| Yard, or Yardarms | crosspieces holding the sails |
Keelhauling
For serious infractions aboard the vessel, a sailor or prisoner may be subjected to the punishment of keelhauling. This disciplinary measure frequently results in the death of the individual.
A line is rigged from one end of the main yard beneath the vessel and up to the opposing side, and the unfortunate individual is bound to one extremity with a deep-sea lead fastened to their feet. The weighted line is then dropped and hauled under the hull and up the other side. The mass of the lead often keeps the victim clear of the vessel's hull. For those less fortunate, the body is thrashed against the ship's barnacles, which can tear them to shreds, in addition to the possibility of becoming trapped against the keel. On larger craft, the keelhauling procedure can result in drowning.
Masts
The masts on a sailing ship, from front to back, are known as the fore, main, and mizzen masts. On a two-masted vessel, they are the main and mizzen masts, while a four-masted ship features the fore, main, third, and mizzen masts.
Running the Gauntlet
One of the gravest offenses aboard a ship is theft: in a vessel of the line with 800 or so men on board, the presence of a thief could render everyone's life a wretched ordeal, permeating the air with distrust, especially as most sailors cannot secure their prized belongings.
For minor infractions, a thief is compelled to endure the gauntlet. In this punishment, sailors are provided with rope yarns, which they meticulously weave into knittles, each ending with a half hitch. They then arrange themselves in two parallel lines, facing one another and leaving a passageway between them. The thief is then required to disrobe his shirt and traverse the corridor, with the master-at-arms walking slowly backwards before him, holding a cutlass at his chest, and a ship's corporal following closely with another cutlass. As the thief cautiously makes his way through, the sailors strike him with the knittles, administering the gauntlet punishment.