The mystery
of the
Mary Celeste
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Captain
Morehouse’s explanation
The only eye-witness account we have is
from Captain Morehouse. This is what he wrote:
‘I cannot know for certain
what happened on the Mary Celeste. My personal view is
that something happened to make the crew panic. I
think they left the ship because they thought it was
sinking.
When we boarded the Mary Celeste we found a broken rope
hanging over the side of the deck. Perhaps this was used to
tow the smaller boat behind until it broke.
There was very bad weather in the days before we found the
Mary Celeste. For four days there had been a storm –
it only ended on the morning we found her.
Lifeboat
Of course they may not have tied
their lifeboat to the Mary Celeste. But I still think they
would have been unlikely to survive a storm in a small boat
on the open sea. If only they had just stayed on the Mary
Celeste we could have rescued them.
So why did they leave on that lifeboat? That is the real
mystery. I knew Captain Briggs well – I had dinner
with him in New York a few days before the Mary Celeste
sailed. He was a good man and an experienced seaman.
He would not have left the bridge of his ship unless he
believed it to be in mortal danger. What happened to
frighten him into risking the lives of his family and
crew?
Do you think Captain
Morehouse is right? What do you think happened to the Mary
Celeste?
Next > Video/Activities
Before You Read *Part 1 * Part 2 * Legends * Facts * Theories
Witness * Video * Activities * Mary Celeste Crossword
Matching Exercise * Modern 'Mary Celeste' yacht
