AT MERCY OF SEA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 20 February 1920, Page 2

AT MERCY OF SEA

Adrift in the open sen, with full cargo and everything intact, but minus a crew, is the. description given of a derelict ship, which has now been brought safely to anchorage. Deep mystery at present surrounds the circumstances of the disappearance of the crew, and the reason for her being abandoned. The story of her discovery comes from the Soilly Isles, where, soon after daybreak, a three-masted fore-and-aft rigged schooner was seen to he in difficulties near Shipman Head, Brighter Island. On being approached she was found to he derelict, and on hoarding her the Brighter men were astonished tm tind that everything was in perfect order, but. there was no sign of any of the crew. All the sails were furled, and all the boats were on board, including a smart motor-launch. AVhat can have happened to the cre\v, nr what caused them to leave the ship, is at present a mystery. As she was laden with womd, there could never have been any danger of her sinking. The derelict, which was taken to a safe anchorage, is the British-owned Marion G. Douglas, of La Haye, Nova Scotia. She was built as recently as 1917, and, being a valuable boat, there will be a considerable amount of salvage money to divide among the Brighter men. This recalls the ease of the Marie Celeste,* the greatest of all ocean mysteries. She was a French passenger .sailing ship, and was sighted on October 4, 1875, by a British ship, with whom she exchanged signals. Two days later she was again sighted, but majle no reply. Her sails were set, and she was keeping a regular course, but when boarded not a soul was found. Not a boat was missing, and everything was in its proper place, the breakfast, of the captain, wife, and child being left half consumed. The fate of those who sailed in her is an unsolved mystery to this day.