Marooning

Marooning used to be the intentional leaving of someone in a remote area such as an uninhabited island. The word first appears in writing in approximately 1709, and is derived from the term maroon, a word for a fugitive slave, which could be a corruption of Spanish cimarrón, meaning a household animal (or slave) who has run "wild".

In earlier centuries it was a penalty for crewmen or for captains at the hands of a crew in cases of mutiny. Then, marooning meant setting a man on a deserted island, often no more than a sand bar at low tide. He would be given some food, a container of water, and a loaded pistol so he could commit suicide if he desired. The outcome of marooning was usually fatal, but William Greenaway and some men loyal to him survived being marooned, as did pirate captain Edward England.

The chief practitioners of marooning were 17th and 18th century pirates, to such a degree that they were frequently referred to as "marooners." The pirate articles of captains Bartholomew Roberts and John Phillips specify marooning as a punishment for cheating one's fellow pirates or other offenses. In this context, to be marooned is euphemistically to be "made governor of an island".

Maroon (disambiguation)

Maroon is a dark shade of red. Maroon, marooning, or marooned also may refer to:

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