the ghost ship

Yes, a real "ghost" ship. Found adrift in Northern Atlantic on December 4, 1872. Three people vanished. Everything else on board left untouched. A mystery to this day...

A MARITIME MYSTERY

The good ship Dei Gratia arrived at Gibraltar a short time since, bringing along with her a vessel named the Mary Celeste, which had been discovered in lat. 38.20 N., long. 17.15 W., in an abandoned condition. Derelict vessels are by no means maritime rarities, but a derelict ship, under the conditions of the Mary Celeste, with her hull, masts, yards, and cargo in good condition, is a decided novelty, so decided a novelty, in fact, that the Queen's Proctor in the Admiralty Court ordered a special survey of the vessel, with the view of clearing up the mystery attaching to her. So far, however, from dispelling this mystery the official investigation has but added thereto. It was conclusively established that the ship had encountered no seriously heavy weather, a small phial of oil being found standing in a perpendicular position, with a thimble and reel near it, all of which would have been upset had the vessel experienced stress of weather. A sanguinary turn was, moreover, given to the mysterious abandonment of the ship, a sword having been discovered which, on being drawn out of its scabbard, showed signs of having been smeared with blood and afterwards wiped; while the topgallant rail had marks oh it, apparently of blood, and both bows of the vessel had been cut, to all appearance intentionally, with some sharp instrument. No bill of lading nor manifest were found on the ship, and the effects discovered in the captain's cabin proved that a lady and child had been on board. It is, moreover, the opinion of the experts that the vessel was not abandoned until some days after the last entry was made in the log-book, on the 25th of November. Whether this be correct or not, and whatever significance may properly attach to the blood-stained sword and rail, it is a fact that up to the last advices from Gibraltar, no trace had been discovered of the captain and crew, or of the lady and her child.

The Sun & Central Press, London, February 15, 1873

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