The Mary Celeste

Introduction

On December 4, 1872, the British brig Dei Gratia spotted a ship drifting erratically in the rough seas of the Atlantic, 400 miles east of the Azores. It was the American merchant brigantine Mary Celeste. Upon boarding, the crew of the Dei Gratia found the ship seaworthy and under partial sail, but completely deserted. The mystery of what happened to the captain, his family, and the crew remains one of the greatest maritime puzzles in history.

Historical Context

The Mary Celeste left New York on November 7, 1872, bound for Genoa, Italy, carrying a cargo of 1,701 barrels of denatured alcohol. On board were Captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife Sarah, their two-year-old daughter Sophia, and a crew of seven. Captain Briggs was an experienced seaman with a sterling reputation, making the abandonment of a sound ship all the more baffling.

Discovery & Condition

When the boarding party investigated the ship, they found:

• The ship had 3.5 feet of water in the hold (manageable for a ship of its size).
• The cargo was largely intact, though nine barrels of alcohol were empty.
• The ship's single lifeboat was missing.
• Personal belongings and the ship's logbook were found in the captain's cabin, undisturbed.
• The final log entry was dated November 25, 1872, ten days prior to discovery.

Theories

Over the decades, theories have ranged from mutiny to giant squids. However, the most plausible theories focus on the cargo:

• Alcohol Fumes: A popular theory suggests that fumes from the leaking alcohol barrels built up in the hold. Fearing an explosion, Captain Briggs ordered everyone into the lifeboat to trail behind the ship until the fumes cleared. A sudden squall could have snapped the tow line, leaving the lifeboat adrift as the Mary Celeste sailed away.
• Pump Sounding Error: A sounding rod (used to check water levels) was found on deck. It is possible the crew believed the ship was taking on more water than it actually was, leading to a premature order to abandon ship.

Unanswered Questions

If they abandoned ship, where did they go? No trace of the lifeboat or the ten people on board was ever found. The sea swallowed the crew of the Mary Celeste leaving behind only a perfectly sailing vessel as their tombstone.

Sources

• The Story of the Mary Celeste by Charles Edey Fay.
• British Board of Trade Inquiry Records (1873).
• National Archives of the United States.

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