The story of the Mary Celeste - Podcast

Описание: The ship's actual name was the Mary Celeste. The "Marie" misspelling became popular due to a fictional short story written in 1884 by a young Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The story of the Mary Celeste is perhaps the most famous maritime mystery in history. It concerns an American merchant brigantine found adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean on December 4, 1872.

The ship was spotted by the Dei Gratia, a vessel whose captain, David Morehouse, was actually a friend of the Mary Celeste’s captain, Benjamin Briggs. When the crew of the Dei Gratia boarded the ship, they found a haunting scene:
• The Condition: The ship was seaworthy, under partial sail, and had plenty of food and water (enough for six months).
• The People: All ten people—Captain Briggs, his wife Sarah, their 2-year-old daughter Sophia, and seven crew members—were gone.
• Missing Items: The ship’s lifeboat was missing, along with the captain’s chronometer, sextant, and ship’s papers.
• The Cargo: 1,701 barrels of industrial alcohol remained largely intact, though nine barrels were later found to be empty.

The Mary Celeste became popular due to a fictional short story written in 1884 by a young Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the creator of Sherlock Holmes). His story, J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement, was so convincing that many people mistook his fictional embellishments—like finding warm tea on the table or half-eaten meals—for actual facts.

Because there were no signs of a struggle or a storm, theories have ranged from the plausible to the supernatural:

Alcohol Vapors - This is the most widely accepted scientific theory. Some of the alcohol barrels leaked, creating noxious or potentially explosive fumes. Fearing an imminent blast, Captain Briggs may have ordered everyone into the lifeboat to trail behind the ship until the air cleared. The rope may have then snapped in rougher waters, leaving them stranded.
Faulty Pump/Sinking Fear One of the ship's pumps was found disassembled. Modern researchers suggest that if the pump failed and Briggs miscalculated how much water was in the hull, he might have panicked and ordered an unnecessary evacuation.

Seaquakes / Waterspouts A sudden "seaquake" (underwater earthquake) common in the Azores could have buckled the alcohol barrels, releasing fumes and causing panic, or a waterspout could have created a localized weather event that frightened the crew into the boat.

Foul Play Early investigators suspected mutiny or a pirate attack, but no valuables were stolen and there was no evidence of violence on board.

Here Lionel elaborates on the story. Enjoy!