Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Xaccers
Letting the cat out of the bag comes from a pig-in-a-poke
Pigs used to be sold in sacks, but dishonest business men would catch a cat, put it in a bag and sell it as a pig.
When the buyer opened the bag, letting the cat out, the secret was revealed
|
Nope.
The 'cat' was a cat-o-nine-tails used to punish men at sea.
It was kept in a bag on the main mast as a reminder to the crew about harsh punishment.
Also,
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours is from the same place!
Officers were not allowed to punish the crew directly as this would lead to mutiny, so instead they would order another member of the crew to issue the punishment.
You must be hit by the 'cat' until you bleed, hence, you scratch my back instead of lacerating it, and I'll scratch yours when your punishment comes.
And another....
3 square meals a day....
It was hard to get people to go to sea as it was a dangerous life.
One of the bonuses advertised was 3 square meals a day. The square part comes from the 'plates' used at sea (in the times of Nelson and before) they consisted of a square of wood with wooden rdges tacked to it. This stoped the 'plates' sliding around when not in use.