The mystery of the "Mary Celeste." The most famous of all unsolved mysteries of the sea is the strange fate of the crew of the brigantine Mary Celeste (sometimes spelt Marie Celeste) on her voyage from America to Europe. After some difficulty in getting a crew; she eventually set sail with a particularly disreputable one in the autumn of 1872. She was picked up deserted in the Atlantic about two months later. It was obvious that she had been left hurriedly; a half-eaten meal was on the table and the log-book was open; yet all the boats were in place. Many solutions have been offered as to the fate of the crew and of the captains wife and child; though none has met with general acceptance. Illustration for one of a set of 50 cigarette cards on the subject of Sea Adventure; issued by Hignett Brothers in 1939.