W.B.Kurgan

Updated:2007-01-22 20:23:27

British Scavenge From Stricken Vessel

By ALAN COWELL

The New York Times

LONDON (Jan. 22) - Ignoring health warnings and threats of prosecution, hundreds of people foraged among containers washed from a stricken cargo vessel on the southern English coast on Monday, hauling off booty that included BMW motorcycles, shoes, diapers, beauty cream and carpets.

Haha They weren't Mooncussing, Moonraking or Wrecking since they didn't actually cause the ship to run aground.

They were looting though!

There is an old story about Moonraking relating to smugglers taht google will bring up several different version of!

It also explains why Moonraker means Simpleton!

A group of sixteenth century smugglers were forced to hide their contraband in a river after being surprised by a visit from the revenue.

As a ruse, the smugglers pretended they were attempting to rake a 'cheese' that had rolled into the water.

The excisemen, seeing the men were in fact raking the moon's reflection, left the simple country-folk to their labours and rode out of town, unaware that the Wiltshire men were having the last laugh!

Mooncussing

Thank you blackjohn! That was driving me crazy!

I hope you good people can help me!

I'm absolutely sure I used to know another term for "wrecking" (the practice of taking valuables from a shipwreck which has foundered near or close to shore), that implied that the ship had been deliberately lured into danger, for example by faking the signals from lighthouses: A sort of Piracy without the Pirate ship!

Any ideas what this practice was known as?

I don't know if this has been posted before, but for those in the UK with access to Cable or Satalite TV there is a new Pirate show on this Sunday night!

I just saw a trailer for it and although it looks a bit cheesey it could be quite good fun!

From the Sky One website

Blackbeard

Next showing: 2006-09-03 at 21:00 - 22:50

Angus MacFadyen stars in the first in a new two-part dramatised account of the life of the legendary pirate from his origins to the end of his reign of terror on the high seas

Next showing: 2006-09-10 at 21:00 - 22:50

Part two of two. Maynard sets out to put an end to Blackbeard's tyranny. When the pirate kidnaps the lieutenant's sweetheart, however, an emotional angle is added to their feud

So embarassed! I'm sorry I ever drew your attention to this rubbish!

This show was so awful I couldn't bring myself to watch the second part.

Sorry, me harties!

I don't know if this has been posted before, but for those in the UK with access to Cable or Satalite TV there is a new Pirate show on this Sunday night!

I just saw a trailer for it and although it looks a bit cheesey it could be quite good fun!

From the Sky One website

Blackbeard

Next showing: 2006-09-03 at 21:00 - 22:50

Angus MacFadyen stars in the first in a new two-part dramatised account of the life of the legendary pirate from his origins to the end of his reign of terror on the high seas

Next showing: 2006-09-10 at 21:00 - 22:50

Part two of two. Maynard sets out to put an end to Blackbeard's tyranny. When the pirate kidnaps the lieutenant's sweetheart, however, an emotional angle is added to their feud