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== Disappearance and discovery ==

== Disappearance and discovery ==

On November 5, 1872, under the command of 37-year-old Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs, the ship picked up a cargo of industrial alcohol and set sail from Staten Island, New York to Genoa, Italy. The ship carried seven crewmen, the captain and his family: 30-year-old Sarah E. Briggs, and their two-year-old daughter, Sofia Mathilda. Their eight-year-old son did not accompany them on the voyage.<ref>http://www.deafwhale.com/maryceleste/</ref>

On November 5, 1872, under the command of 37-year-old Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs, the ship picked up a cargo of industrial alcohol and set sail from Staten Island, New York to Genoa, Italy. The ship carried seven crewmen, the captain and his family: 30-year-old Sarah E. Briggs, and their two-year-old daughter, Sofia Mathilda. Their eight-year-old son did not accompany them on the voyage.<ref name="whale">http://www.deafwhale.com/maryceleste/</ref>

On December 4, 1872, the merchant ship ''Dei Gratia,'' under the command of Captain David Reed Morehouse, spotted the Mary Celeste some six hundred miles off the coast of Portugal. The ship was under full sail and showed no signs of distress, but close observation revealed that the vessel was drifting. Morehouse ordered his crewmen to board the ship and investigate.<ref>http://www.maryceleste.net/part2.htm</ref>

On December 4, 1872, the merchant ship ''Dei Gratia,'' under the command of Captain David Reed Morehouse, spotted the Mary Celeste some six hundred miles off the coast of Portugal. The ship was under full sail and showed no signs of distress, but close observation revealed that the vessel was drifting. Morehouse ordered his crewmen to board the ship and investigate.<ref>http://www.maryceleste.net/part2.htm</ref>

Oliver Deveau, the chief mate of the ''Dei Gratia,'' led a party in a small boat to board the Mary Celeste. He found the ship in generally good condition, though he reported that "the whole ship was a thoroughly wet mess". There was only one operational pump, with a lot of water between decks and three-and-a-half feet (1.1 m) of water in the hold. The forehatch and the lazarette were both open, the clock was not functioning and the compass was destroyed. The sextant and marine chronometer were missing, and the only lifeboat appeared to have been intentionally launched rather than torn away, suggesting the ship had been deliberately abandoned.  

Oliver Deveau, the chief mate of the ''Dei Gratia,'' led a party in a small boat to board the Mary Celeste. He found the ship in generally good condition, though he reported that "the whole ship was a thoroughly wet mess". There was only one operational pump, with a lot of water between decks and three-and-a-half feet (1.1 m) of water in the hold. The forehatch and the lazarette were both open, the clock was not functioning and the compass was destroyed. The sextant and marine chronometer were missing, and the only lifeboat appeared to have been intentionally launched rather than torn away, suggesting the ship had been deliberately abandoned.  

The cargo was intact, although when it was eventually unloaded in Genoa, nine barrels were found to be empty. A six-month supply of food and water was aboard. All of the ship's papers, except the captain's logbook, were missing. The last log entry was dated November 24 and placed her 100 miles (160&nbsp;km) west of the Portuguese islands of the [[Azores]]. The last entry on the ship's slate showed her as having reached the island of Santa Maria in the Azores on November 25.

The cargo was intact, although when it was eventually unloaded in Genoa, nine barrels were found to be empty. A six-month supply of food and water was aboard. All of the ship's papers, except the captain's logbook, were missing. The last log entry was dated November 24 and placed her 100 miles (160 km) west of the Portuguese islands of the [[Azores]]. The last entry on the ship's slate showed her as having reached the island of Santa Maria in the Azores on November 25.

Popular myths exist that the boarding party discovered half-eaten meals, still warm, in the galley, or found the deck covered in blood. There is no proof of these stories.<ref>http://www.deafwhale.com/maryceleste/</ref>

Popular myths exist that the boarding party discovered half-eaten meals, still warm, in the galley, or found the deck covered in blood. There is no proof of these stories.<ref name="whale" />

== Aftermath ==

== Aftermath ==

=== Pirate attack ===

=== Pirate attack ===

Some sources maintain the ship was attacked by pirates and the crew was murdered and thrown overboard. However, the cargo was found intact and many of the crew's valuables remained on board. There were also no signs of violence, save for a few small cuts in the stern railing.<ref>http://www.deafwhale.com/maryceleste/</ref>

Some sources maintain the ship was attacked by pirates and the crew was murdered and thrown overboard. However, the cargo was found intact and many of the crew's valuables remained on board. There were also no signs of violence, save for a few small cuts in the stern railing.<ref name="whale" />

=== Drunken mutiny ===

=== Drunken mutiny ===