You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Friday, August 23, 2013

"E" is for Eee-ew-w-w-w!

A to Z blog hop at Patterings.

      This post is a part of an A to Z blog hop. This week our letter is "E."
     
     I'm still researching for the novel I'm writing set in the NC Outer Banks and along the Atlantic Coast in 1799.
      I’ve got some more pirate stuff for you, and it’s yucky.

caltrops looked like crow's feet
      In the 1700s, pirates would sometimes toss caltrops onto the decks of the ships they wanted to capture. These diabolical little antipersonnel weapons remind me of current-day jacks from the game Ball and Jacks (well, sort of).
     About an inch tall, they were fashioned out of iron or steel with four barbed-wire like points, constructed in such a way that, no matter how they landed, one point was always sticking up.
     The reason behind this weapon?
     Eighteenth century sailors went barefoot, mostly for comfort, but also because it made it easier to climb up into the sail rigging. So, if you stepped on a caltrop, it was mighty painful and would delay you from fighting back as pirates boarded your ship.
     Barbaric -- you think?

Today, I'm linking up with J'Nell at Daring to Romance.

 

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11 comments:

  1. Tom ThreadgillAugust 23, 2013 at 8:42 AM

    We have some of these at our house, except we call them Legos. Thanks for posting, Susan!

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  2. Susan CraftAugust 23, 2013 at 10:28 AM

    Thanks for dropping by, Tom. We don't have any little ones around for Legos, but when my granddog, Steeler, visits, we do have squeaky toys. It's something to get up in the middle of the night and step on one of those.

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  3. SusanAugust 23, 2013 at 3:49 PM

    Oh my goodness! Clever. Painful, but clever;)! And I have to agree with Tom. Legos can bring a grown woman down!

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  4. Susan CraftAugust 23, 2013 at 4:00 PM

    Hi, Susan. Thanks for stopping by. I'm learnng that those nasty old pirates could think up some awful stuff.

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  5. J'nell CiesielskiAugust 23, 2013 at 4:38 PM

    Oh, man. Those things are nasty looking! But inventive. Very interesting tidbit. And thanks for the link up!

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  6. Susan CraftAugust 23, 2013 at 4:53 PM

    Thanks for coming by, J'Nell. I read a little further about caltrops and found out that the Vietnamese used them too. Theirs were made out of nails.

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  7. Barbara Lynn CullerAugust 23, 2013 at 8:53 PM

    Ouch! They do look like a crow's foot. And Ewwww is right!

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  8. Susan CraftAugust 23, 2013 at 11:32 PM

    Yep, I would not want to step on one of those. Thanks for stopping by, Barbara.

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  9. Karla AkinsAugust 27, 2013 at 10:46 PM

    What a great little piece of info. I didn't know and I've taught history for years! You rock the research, girl!

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  10. Susan CraftAugust 27, 2013 at 11:02 PM

    Thanks, Karla. It's something I truly enjoy, though I sometimes lose track of time wandering down the rabbit warrens. :-)

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  11. BelindaNovember 10, 2021 at 6:38 AM

    Your thee best

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