In the 16th and 17th centuries, before synthetic fertilizer, large shipments of manure were commonly shipped by sea. It was dried and then shipped in order to reduce cargo weight, but once seawater soaked in, it not only became heavier, it began to decompose, producing methane gas.
Because it 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 unsuspectingly came below with a lantern was the last time in many cases.
Several ships were destroyed in this manner before they realized what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them. Meaning that the sailors were to stow it high enough off the lower decks, so that any water that flowed into the hold would not drench the manure.
Thus, evolved the term "S.H.I.T " (Ship High In Transport), which we all know very well, explains why many things happen today. Many mistakingly thought it originated on a golf course in Scotland.
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Editor's Note: According to Urban Legends at about.com, shit is derived from the Indo-European root skei-, meaning "to cut" or "to split." For most of its history "shit" was spelled "shite" (and sometimes still is, euphemistically).
Doesn't mean the ships weren't blown to shit, though...
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