Dear Members, I realize this topic is slightly off kilter, has nothing to do with our families genealogy [really] but it's a history matter and I wanted to know if anyone else at all knew about this terminology and how it was created? If true, please explain and if not true, how do I prove it? IN other words, where do I go to find the answers for this one? Shipping sources or other? Please, forgive the topic, I truly don't know the answer and am grinning from the explanation. I received it from another source mailing list. Shelia ------------------------------------------ In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything was transported by ship. It was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common. In dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them, which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit." In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane. You probably did not know this true history of the word SHIT.

no I didn't, but we got Posh that way, had something to do with loading one's luggage in a certain place on the vessel. Would love for someone to illuminate me. Carole Beth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelia Bachelder" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 2:57 PM Subject: [OKGEN ] Please-someone tell me if this is TRUE or NOT: > Dear Members, > > I realize this topic is slightly off kilter, has nothing to do with our families genealogy [really] but it's a history matter and I wanted to know if anyone else at all knew about this terminology and how it was created? If true, please explain and if not true, how do I prove it? IN other words, where do I go to find the answers for this one? Shipping sources or other? > > Please, forgive the topic, I truly don't know the answer and am grinning from the explanation. I received it from another source mailing list. > Shelia > ------------------------------------------ > In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything was transported by ship. It was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common. In dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas. > > As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! > > Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them, which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit." In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane. > > You probably did not know this true history of the word SHIT. > > > > ==== OKGEN Mailing List ==== > Indian Pioneer Papers > http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/pioneer/pioneer.htm > >