The Mary Celeste: Ghost Ship

On December 4, 1872, the brigantine Dei Gratia encountered the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic Ocean near the Azores. The ship was in seaworthy condition with cargo intact, personal belongings undisturbed, and supplies adequate. But not a single person remained aboard. The crew of ten—including the captain’s wife and two-year-old daughter—had vanished. No bodies were ever found, no explanation ever proven. The Mary Celeste became history’s most famous ghost ship.

The Ship

Mary Celeste

Originally named Amazon, the ship was built in Nova Scotia in 1861. After several changes of ownership and a major rebuild following damage, she was renamed Mary Celeste in 1868.

Specifications:

• Brigantine (two-masted sailing vessel)
• 282 tons
• 103 feet long
• Primarily used for cargo

The Voyage

On November 7, 1872, the Mary Celeste departed New York City bound for Genoa, Italy.

The Crew:

• Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs (37) — Experienced sea captain, devout Christian, part owner of the vessel
• Sarah Elizabeth Briggs (30) — Captain’s wife, accompanying him on the voyage
• Sophia Matilda Briggs (2) — Their daughter
• Albert Richardson — First mate
• Andrew Gilling — Second mate
• Four experienced seamen

The Cargo: 1,701 barrels of commercial alcohol (denatured, for industrial use) bound for Italian fortified wine production.

The Discovery

December 4, 1872

The Dei Gratia, sailing from New York to Gibraltar under Captain David Morehouse, spotted a vessel behaving erratically—sailing inconsistently and not responding to signals.

First Observation: Chief Mate Oliver Deveau led a boarding party. What they found has puzzled investigators for over 150 years.

The Condition

The Ship:

• Seaworthy, though some sails were damaged or missing
• Rigging partially damaged
• Main hatch open
• Some water in the hold (not dangerous)
• Pumps functional
• Ship navigable

The Cargo:

• Intact (though nine barrels were later found empty)
• Properly secured
• No signs of disturbance

The Supplies:

• Six months of food and water
• Clothing and personal effects in cabins
• Valuables untouched
• Captain’s sword (later found under his bed)

What Was Missing:

• All crew members
• The ship’s single lifeboat
• The sextant and chronometer
• The ship’s papers (except the logbook)
• The peak halyard (a rope that could be used to lower the lifeboat)

The Last Log Entry

The final log entry was dated November 25, 1872—nine days before discovery. It recorded the ship’s position near the island of Santa Maria in the Azores.

The ship was found approximately 400 miles east of that position, still sailing (though on the wrong heading for Genoa).

The Investigation

Salvage Court

The Dei Gratia towed the Mary Celeste to Gibraltar, where a salvage hearing was conducted.

The Proceedings:

• Intensive examination of the vessel
• Interviews with the Dei Gratia crew
• Analysis of evidence
• No conclusion reached regarding the crew’s fate

Suspicions: Some investigators suspected the Dei Gratia crew of foul play—perhaps murdering the Mary Celeste crew for salvage money. However:

• The two ships had departed at different times
• Captain Morehouse knew Captain Briggs personally
• No evidence of violence was found
• The theory was ultimately dismissed

Verdict

The court awarded salvage payment to the Dei Gratia but explicitly noted the mysterious circumstances. The official verdict: unknown.

Theories

The Alcohol Vapor Theory

The Theory: Commercial alcohol can produce flammable vapors. Perhaps fumes built up in the hold, causing fear of explosion. The crew abandoned ship to let it air out, but something went wrong—the lifeboat rope broke, weather changed, or they were unable to reboard.

Evidence:

• Nine barrels were found empty (possibly leaked)
• The main hatch was open
• The crew might have feared explosion

Problems:

• Experienced sailors would know the dangers
• The lifeboat was deliberately taken (not emergency evacuation)
• Why take documents but not navigation equipment?

The Waterspout Theory

The Theory: A waterspout (sea tornado) passed close to the ship, creating fear it would sink. The crew evacuated temporarily but were then unable to return.

Evidence:

• Some water in the hold
• Rapid weather changes are common in the area

Problems:

• The ship was intact
• No structural damage consistent with waterspout

The Piracy Theory

The Theory: Pirates attacked, killed the crew, but left the cargo.

Problems:

• Why leave valuable cargo?
• Why no signs of struggle?
• Pirates operating in that area were rare by 1872

The Insurance Fraud Theory

The Theory: Captain Briggs and the Dei Gratia’s Captain Morehouse conspired to fake the abandonment for insurance/salvage money.

Problems:

• Briggs was known for integrity
• He brought his wife and child
• The fraud would require murdering or hiding the crew
• The payout was modest

The Mutiny Theory

The Theory: The crew mutinied, killed the officers, and fled in the lifeboat.

Problems:

• Why take women and children?
• No signs of violence
• Why leave valuable possessions?

The Seaquake Theory

The Theory: A submarine earthquake caused violent shaking, making the crew fear the ship was breaking apart.

Evidence:

• Seismic activity does occur in the Atlantic
• Could explain rapid abandonment

Problems:

• No damage consistent with seaquake
• Records show no significant seismic activity that day

The Ergot Theory

The Theory: Ergot fungus in the ship’s bread supply caused mass hallucination, driving the crew to bizarre behavior.

Problems:

• No evidence of contaminated food
• Ergot symptoms would vary between individuals
• Collective organized behavior (lowering the lifeboat, taking documents) doesn’t match hallucinogenic intoxication

The Legacy

What Happened to Mary Celeste

The ship continued sailing for another 12 years. On January 3, 1885, she was deliberately run aground on a reef near Haiti in an insurance fraud scheme. The conspirators were caught; the ship was finally destroyed.

Cultural Impact

The Mary Celeste became the template for “ghost ship” stories:

• Inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story
• Referenced in countless novels, films, and TV shows
• The name became synonymous with mysterious abandonment

The Truth We May Never Know

After 150 years, no theory fully explains:

• Why experienced sailors would abandon a seaworthy ship
• Why they took documents but not navigation instruments
• Why no one survived to tell the story
• Where the bodies went

The sea took ten people and left behind a mystery that will likely never be solved.

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She was found drifting with full sails, cargo intact, dinner on the table. But not a soul remained. Ten people—a captain, his wife, their baby daughter, and seven crew—simply vanished from the Mary Celeste. No storm, no pirates, no fire, no mutiny can explain what happened. The Atlantic took their bodies and their story, leaving behind only questions that 150 years have failed to answer.