The sun., 1896-08-09
THE MARY CELESTE'S STORY
PERHAPS 4 CLUE TO THE MISTER 7
OF 7HE BRIGANTINE.
she was Pound or the AHorrs Drifting
Idly with Sail Psrtiy Set, bat without
Trace or Sign of Skipper or Grew, Who
Were Never Heard from In Ap1 ~ ny.

IRON ihs Boston Globe.
There 10 many a true tale OF tho sen that Ia
stranger than fiction. but not few strange mar
rativss of ships and their crews are robbed OF
their mystery and romance after many years,
md this is one of them. For nearly twenty
years there has been no secret OF death ln old
oceans keeping moro written and talked about
than tho strange case OF the Abandonment of
the American briRantine Mary Celeste, of tho
island Of st. Mary, one of the Azores group, and
the disappearance of the whole ships COM
pany. The Mary Celeste was found with her
lower sails sot, with her cargo and rigging un-
disturbed, the cabin Just as II had been when
occupied. and tho effects of the Captain, his
wife. the mate. and the crew just rs they were
when all hands were Oh board. No satisfactory
explanation as to why the vessel was abandoned
ana what became of tho people who sailed In
her has ever been given. Through the kindness
of relative of one OF the officers Of the vessel
the Goie Ia enabled TO give In this article solu-
tion OF what has for nearly two decades been
known as one of the strongest sea mysteries on
record.
The Mary Celeste whs small vessel for n
square rigger. as they are built nowadays. being
between 800 and 400 tons register. She was
built brig. but Just before her departure on
tho evcntful voyage with which this story has
TO do her rig was changed to that OF a brigan-
New York, thinking her sailing qualities would
be i'm approved by fore and aft rig on the main
mast instead OF square rig. The vessel was
when ready for sea she was in the best shape
possible.
casks, the Mary Celeste sailed from New York
for Genoa, Italy. Oct. II, 1876. Her captain
was Benjamin Briggs, young man. but pne,"t
was accompanied by his young wife and their
only child. girl, about years DID, Capt;
been married but a fow years before, his wife
being from the same town. The first mate OF
the br,gan,ine was Albert G. Rchards"n Of
scot River. 1t was from his sister, who re-
sides on ,kins street. s"mervile. that
father is living in the old home by the
Penohscot, at the age OF so, EiQinm Head OF
ried. aud made his home with his widowed
mother. The crew was picked up in the ship
G,3 ps Turrs itoan ned i"rtpru,S ,,..' ns M.
promising lot as ever swabhed down decks. 1t
was the makeup OF this crew which led 70 the
that the Captain. his wife. the mate. and the
COOK hnd nech made away with by the men.
others. was II circumstance that made the the
ory untenab!e and the mystery deeper.
CAPT rev Brsss ls Gst1Fe es rsp Of k:
English brig Del ,iracia. on the street, and. rs
they were acanaintedi the two men eonySr.ed
for tie Del Gracia wns also bound for Meal.
terrarean port. The two captains said good ny.
with mutual wishes for good luck. aud IN due
time the Del Graciu put 10 sea, sailing few
days ahead OF the Mary celeste That meeting
OF the two captains was their last. but the
courses OF their vessels were destined to cross
in a strange way before the western ocean was
trnScrseu.
The voyage OF the Del Gracia wns without in
cdent until Dec. Z. though unfavnrable weather
was encountered tnat kept the vessel back and
island of 81. Mary, tho soutnerrmCst OF the
nine in the Azores group. wns sighted; and al
most at the same time sail was made out in
the otiing. The refreshed their sea-tred
eyes with long looks at the verdnnt mountains
OF, 1t was Mate Devons watch on deck. and
after studying the sail, which the brig was
steadily npuroschine he found 1t TO be brigan
tine. Capt Murchuuso took IA look AZ the YES
sci. and the TWO men decided that 1t was the
Mary Celeste. which. though che had LEFT New
YORK later than Del Grncia, might easily be in
that latitude. as she was better sailer than the
Engli>h vessel.
Ii did not take the Captain and mate OF the
Del Gracia long to see that s9methng was
wrong on the Mary Celeste. The vessel was
yawnIns about rs II without q helmsmnn. MI
another. Al. her lower sails were set but her
topsaiis were tarled. and everything was snug
aloft. A closer scrutiny OF the vessel showed
III L the boat was missing from the davits at
the stern. Tie longboat's cradle on the for
ran down alongside the Mary Celeste a boat was
lowered ana manned and Mate Devon went
He climbed over the rail fully expect
ing tosee evidence OF murder or plague on the
him: The decks were as clean as II recently
washed down. Every piece OF rope was in It's
place. The sheets were all made fast The
wheel was not lashed and. as the vessel came
up in the wind or filled away. II turned Idly
back and forth The lashings OF the boat at
the stern had been cut and axe lay on deck
near the davits just AS it had been dropped ev-
idsntb. BY the man who cut the boat flee.
The Rstoptshsd mate or the Del GrhciR looked
about the deserted decks then descended to the
cabin. lie was nerrously apnreheasive Of ind
ing. evidences ot murder there. but in this too
he ht n ST Y ha
the ships company were on board. The Cap.
tain's watch hung from the bracket OF The
was IA slate, on which some notes for the log
book were jotted down. The date OF the entry
found. Under the entry on the slate, wnio h re-
H W"rds fanny H;n my S dear r wfe ILL., ff0 Il wms ns
arerward learned. was In the handwriting Of
the mate. who probably started hi; MESSAGE to
his wife while his shipinntcs were lowering tie
boat. and dd not have time TO finish it..
Mate Devon OF the Del Gracia continued his
inspection Of the cabin. lk" one who expects!o
soc the dead before him ut every turn. He
looked in the Cautain's room. and there saw
bcr,6s the imprint Of tho little head on tho
pillow. where the child's mother had put IL to
sleep. and whence she had taken it when called
undisturbcd. showing that the abandonment of
the vessel must have taken place in the even
Ing In the htorcroOm the ships provisions
were undisturbed except that one drawer
tanning canned meats had heen pulled ou.. and
galley everything was Just as the cook had ap-
parcntly left them whea clearing w after sup
per III one OF til" sailors chests was fOun u
go English tnUte aid several articles of value
left behind showed that tho crew must have
lett hastily.
Thoroughly mystIflsd, Capt. Morehousc de-
cid"d, after hearing the mates story and in
speCtng the vessel Tor himself, 10 take the brig
ant.ne 10 Gibraltar. Mate devon was put in
charge ami was given two men a.. crew 10 nRvi-
gate the ship. II WAS nearly 100 miles to tho
rock and the voyage was not an easy one 10
make with only two men rs rrcw-tNp super
stiiOus men who considered themselves on
board ta'ed ship IN the bargain. In nll that
loo miles the two sailors could not he per-
suaded 10 so hriow once. Thoy preferred sleep
Ing on deck 10 sruxiuE rest in the cabin. and
they would drink water from the butts on deck
rather than 20 into the galley TO make coffee.
Fi..Hlly anchor WAS dropped in the hlre waters
under the shadow Of the mighty rock OF Glib
raltar. aud from the little white walled city
clinging to the base of the rock word was
cnbIed 10 New York OF the arrival. Capt. Win
chester was Obliged to 20 across TO CLAN, tha
vessel and settle the clam for talvage. which
was finally fixed by the English Admiralty
Court at $4,000. This WAS paid to Cant. More
house 0f the Del Gracia. and after l. ,ug three
months in the harboT OF Gibraltar the Mary
Celeste was put In charge "f IA new captain aud
proceeded TO her port 81 destination.