In our serious digital reality, there is still room for myths and legends. One of the most famous is about a ghost ship, already in the 4th century, plowing the sea. Do you know the legend of The Flying Dutchman? Right? However, this story is more like fiction than reality.
But the situation that happened with the brigantine “Maria Celeste” makes one wary. At one point, or day, the entire crew disappeared without a trace from the brigantine. Why did this happen? A question that has not yet been answered.
How it all started
The brigantine Mary Celeste, “in her childhood” - Amazon, was launched at the end of 1860. Her stepfather's home was the shipyard of Joshua Davis in Nova Scotia. The official owners of the brigantine were a consortium of 9 people, headed by Davis. Among the co-owners was Robert McLellan, who later became the first captain of the ship.
As already mentioned, the ship "Maria Celeste" was originally called the "Amazon". Women's names awarded the brigantine with a very nasty character. Why? You will understand now.
Maiden voyage
The first flight of the Amazon took place in June 1861. The Brigantine arrived on Five Islands to take a load of timber to pass through the Atlantic to London. On the way, Captain Maclellan suddenly fell ill. The Amazon was forced to return to the Spencer Islands. The disease was stronger than the captain, and on June 19, 1861, Robert McLellan died. However, according to one version, he fell overboard and went missing. More precisely, the first captain of the Amazon disappeared, and there are legends that he remained forever in the power of the deep sea.
But not for long the beauty "Amazon" led a calm mooring life. The next captain of the brigantine was John Neson Parker. Just a year later, in 1863, William Thompson succeeded Parker. We can safely say that he is a “long-liver,” since he remained in the team until 1867.
In October of the same year, near the island of Cape Breton, the Amazon fell into a storm and was washed ashore. The brigantine was severely damaged. Captain William Thompson was unfaithful to the 30-meter beauty and threw her to the mercy of fate. More precisely, the owners sold the ship for only $ 1,750.
New life
The new owners of the Amazon decided to become its fellow countrymen - entrepreneurs from Nova Scotia, headed by Alexander Maxbin. However, damage to the brigantine was so serious that repairs and maintenance were considered unprofitable. Within a month, the ship was again put up for sale.
In November 1868, Richard Haines became the new owner of the Amazon. It was true love - he spent the amount of 5 times its value to restore the brigantine! Repair cost $ 8825.
After the brigantine was restored, Richard Haines became her captain, and the Amazon itself received a residence permit in New York, but under a different name - “Mary Celeste”, which translates as “Saint Mary”. They say that the captain tried to correct the tragic fate of the brigantine.
However, the "Mary" and Heines also did not grow together. The reason for this is loans. The brigantine became the payment for the debts of its captain.
In 1869, the ship was bought by James Winchester. At that time, "Mary" was about 10 years old. Yes, and it was invested in its repair, as we recall, a lot. However, battered by storms, owners and shipwrecks, she needed a major overhaul. At the beginning of 1872 it happened, increasing the cost of the brigantine by another 10 thousand dollars. Mary’s length, breadth, draft and displacement increased, and a second deck appeared. This begins a new chapter in the history of the ship "Maria Celeste".
Last team route
On October 29, 1872, a new consortium was formed, led by James Winchester. The captain of the ship was the 37-year-old Benjamin Briggs. Hereditary sailor born to the family of sea captain Nathan Briggs.
On November 5, 1872, “Maria Celeste” set sail with a cargo of rectified alcohol. The route sheet indicated the route from New York to the port of Genoa. On the ship "Maria Celeste", in addition to the captain and the crew of 7 people, were Briggs' wife, Sarah Elizabeth Cobb Briggs, and their 2-year-old daughter, Sophia Matilda. Benjamin and his wife had another child - the son of Arthur. However, the parents decided to leave him with his grandmother for the duration of the trip.
In the footsteps of the “Flying Dutchman” - the ghost ship “Maria Celeste”
As you know, Alexander Stepanovich Popov presented his first radio only in 1895. Therefore, at the time the brigantine entered the sea, it had no connection with the land.
4 weeks after the start of the campaign, “Mary Celeste” was discovered by the brig “Dei Grazia” under the command of Captain David Reed Morhouse. This happened on December 5, 1872 at about one in the afternoon. By the way, Morehouse was a good friend of Benjamin Briggs. Later, this fact will be the basis of one of the legends of the disappearance of the crew of the ship "Maria Celeste".
The ships met not far from the Azores. The brigantine team was confused by the brigantine’s brigade team - it was erratic. Going closer and finding out from the inscription that it was the ship "Maria Celeste", the captain ordered several sailors to follow the ship.
When they climbed the brigantine, they found that there was not a single person on it - neither alive nor dead. Between bulkheads and decks, sea water splashed. In the hold, its level reached a meter. On the deck lay a makeshift level measuring device - a foot stock. Manhole covers were removed, and the nose flaps were torn off the hinges and scattered around the deck.
Otherwise, the ship did not seem damaged, with the exception of the windows of the aft superstructure, where the captain’s cabin was located. They were covered with a tarp and boarded up with boards. The watch ended the factory. The compass was broken. And also a sextant and a chronometer were not found on the ship.
Some sources indicate that logbooks were also absent. In others, that last entry in the documents was made on November 25th. The coordinates indicated in them differed from the place of detection by 400 nautical miles. It turns out that during these 10 days the brigantine covered 720 kilometers.
Or maybe a storm or pirates?
In the captain’s cabin, a jewelry box and money remained untouched. Toys were scattered across the floor. The sewing machine of the wife of the captain of the ship "Maria Celeste" James Briggs stood with tucked silk thread and unfinished product. The load was not touched. Also remained a whole six-month food supply.
The location of things indicated that the ship did not fall into a strong storm. In particular, there was an oiler on the sewing machine, which would have fallen when it was pitching. The cabins were damp enough, but this fact could be explained by open hatches everywhere.
As for the sails - they were all straightened out. True, a few were missing. Ropes hung from the brigantine's side.
In the footsteps of the Titanic
As practice shows, the people responsible for equipping the ship with lifeboats are not always required when doing their job.
Let us recall the sad experience of the Titanic ... On the ship "Maria Celeste", of course, not a couple of thousand people went to sea. However, the brigantine went sailing with 1 boat, instead of two - one was put in for repair. The circumstances were such that people took advantage of the rescue equipment available on the ship - the boat was launched ... It still remains a mystery under what circumstances this happened.
The circumstances of the loss of the crew and passengers of the ship were more than strange and mystical. Despite this, the captain of the Dei Grazia brig still decides to tow the ship to the port until the circumstances are clarified. The team led the brigantine through Gibraltar and moored in one of the English ports.
The British Admiralty made a thorough inspection of the ship, interviewed witnesses and conducted an investigation. However, the best minds of that time could not determine the reasons for the disappearance of the crew of the ship “Maria Celeste”. For them, a lot of theories have been put forward by society.
Alcohol is to blame
However, the most realistic of them is associated with the ignition of alcohol vapors. Its author is Oliver Cobb. He believes that the barrels were tightly closed and alcohol vapors, mixed with air, formed an explosive mixture. Because of this, a series of explosions occurred in the aft hold. The captain decided to evacuate the crew of the ship "Maria Celeste".
This version was based on real events that occurred in 1886 and 1913. But back to November 25, 1872. Expecting new explosions, the ship's crew went to sea. However, they did not follow - the tightness was broken, and all the stale air went outside.
The boat the people were on was prudently tied to the ship with the help of a derrick halyard - tackle for raising the sail. Cobb believes that this did not save the team. A strong wind gave brigantine a quick turn and the derrick-fall could not stand it. The team could not catch the fast racing ship. Most likely, the boat sank, overtaken by a storm.
The conspiracy is to blame
Another version of the loss of the crew put forward Lawrence Kitting. He believed that the captains, and part-time friends, - Morhausen and Briggs were in conspiracy. The fact is that “Maria Celeste” was understaffed when leaving the port. The captains agreed that the 3 sailors of the “Grace Day” will help overcome the brigantine the most difficult part of the route. After which the ships will meet at the Azores, and the team will reunite on the brig.
However, a terrible thing happened in swimming - death overtook the captain's wife. After which, he began to behave inappropriately, and the team began to get drunk. Not recovering from the loss, Briggs died, and the sailors continued to lead a wild life. Once, under the hops of drunk alcohol, a stabbing occurred. One sailor died. The officer, not wanting to take the blame on himself, decided to leave the ship and offered this adventure to the team. Sailors, afraid of ships and investigations, listened to the enterprising officer and went on boats to the Azores. However, not everyone decided to do so. At the "Maria Celeste" were the same 3 sailors from the "Dei Grazia" and cook. They were subsequently discovered by the brig.
The captain of the ship invited the sailors to follow their version - to say that they are members of the brig "Dei Grazia", and "Mary" was discovered without people.
Money is to blame ...
David Vig Morehouse received a decent reward for a deserted find, which he shared with the "silent" sailors. Lawrence Kitting's version is based on this fact - the enrichment plan was developed personally by the captain.
It is worth noting that, unlike other theories, Kitting's version flaunts testimony. However, historians consider this fact a disadvantage, not an advantage. That same witness is an 80-year-old cook with "Mary Celeste" John Pemberton. Due to his age, he could forget something or, on the contrary, remember something that does not exist, and also be a figurehead. In the documents, the steward and the cook are listed as Edward Head.
Versions about pirates and aliens were also put forward, but as it was in reality - the mystical mystery of the ship "Maria Celeste".
Life after
Despite the mythicity of the incident, “Maria Celeste” was not sent on a well-deserved rest. Edgar Tuzill believed in it and since 1874 used to swim in the West Indies basin. However, in 1879, he died, which became another nail, hammered into the reputation of “Mary”.
Maybe this is where the windy life of the sailing brigantine ended, if not for Gilman Parker. It was he who in August 1884 became the new captain of the ship "Maria Celeste".
It did not last long. Again fateful November, 5th. A ship flies on reefs off the coast of Haiti. As it turned out later, it was pure fraud. The goal is to get insurance. However, Parker was not able to collect his money, as he was bitten through and even tried. Everything worked out, but not for the brigantine. This day was the last in the fate of the ship "Maria Celeste".
What next?
The legendary "Mary" has not yet been found. However, unlike the “Flying Dutchman”, it peacefully rests somewhere at the bottom of the oceans. In 2001, researcher John Kassler and the team announced a find very reminiscent of brigantine. But it wasn’t her. As studies of wood samples showed, such materials began to be used for the construction of ships only in 1894 ...