>> > MANURE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > In the 16th and 17th centuries, almost everything had to be
> > transported by ship, and large shipments of manure were common.
> > Manure was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less
> > than when wet. But, when at sea, if the manure got wet, it not
> > only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began. A
> > by-product of this fermentation was "methane gas".
> >
> > Since bundles of manure were stored below deck, if they got wet,
> > methane gas began to build up, and the first time someone came
> > below with a lantern...,
> >
> > BOOM!!!
> > 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:
> > "Ship High In Transit"
> > which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough so any water
> > that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and
> > start the production of methane gas.
> > Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T"
> > (Ship High In Transit)
> > which has come down through the centuries and is still
> > in use to this very day.
> > You probably didn't know the true history of this word.
> > Neither did I.
> > I had always thought it was a golf term.