I love a good mystery. There is just something about not knowing the full story that makes us full of wonder.
The story I happened across today came from a long time ago. It happened on December 5, 1872. That is when a ship went through a rather mysterious set of circumstances.
The name of that big boat was the Mary Celeste. They were sailing along, but then, the entire ship’s crew mysteriously disappeared.
Here’s how it started. On November 7, the brigantine Mary Celeste sailed from New York harbor headed for Genoa, Italy.
Quick sidebar. For those who do not know, A brigantine is a type of sailing ship that was commonly used from the 17th to 19th centuries. It has two masts, front and back. It also has square sails. And finally, those good boats are fast and easy to handle. That made them a speedy vessel, popular with pirates and traders and such.
Anyway, away she went. It carried Captain Benjamin S. Briggs, his wife and two-year-old daughter, a crew of eight, and a cargo of some 1,700 barrels of crude alcohol.
Moving along. On December 4, another vessel called the Dei Gratia sighted the Mary Celeste. The captain of the Dei Gratia, Captain Morehouse, and his men boarded the ship. They found it completely abandoned. Its sails were slightly damaged, and there were several feet of water in the hold. Another big clue? The lifeboat and navigational instruments were missing.
But. And here is the big but: The ship was in good order. The cargo was completely intact. And. All the food and water remained on board, even the reserves.
The last entry in the captain’s log had been several days before. The notation in the log showed that the Mary Celeste had been 500 miles away from where the ship was found by the Dei Gratia. The boat had been drifting toward Genoa on her intended course for 11 days since the last notation in the book.
Captain Briggs, his family, and the crew of the vessel were never found, and the reason for the abandonment of the Mary Celeste has never been determined.
There are several theories about why they went missing, from fumes from the alcohol to pirates to a waterspout. But no evidence supports any of these. Of course, there are the paranormal theories. Again, no evidence. So why did the people leave the boat?
It is something we will never know.
This is just a little reminder. There is so much in the world we will never know. Think of all the moments in time. Think of all the people living here at present. Eight billion. Mysteries abound. They help us to wonder.
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“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.” — Albert Einstein
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“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” — Neil Armstrong
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“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” — Socrates
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