then to join their Confort again at Mayotta, the Island appointed for the Rendezvous.
The Prosperous put into Mayotta as agreed on, and waiting there some Time for Bowen's Ship, without seeing or hearing any News of her, went to Johanna, but not meeting with her there, they apprehended some Accident had befel her, and therefore left the Place, and sailed on the Expedition themselves. As to the Speedy Return, she arrived safe at St. Augustin's Bay at Madagascar, and there cleaned and victualled; but tarrying there somewhat too long, the Winds hung contrary, and they could not for their Lives beat up to Mayotta, and therefore went to Johanna, where, hearing that their Friends had lately left that Island, they steered for the Red Sea, but the Wind not proving fair for their Design, they bore away for the High Land of St. John's, near Surat, where they once more fell in Company with their Brethren of the Prosperous.
They cruiz'd together, as was first agreed on, and after some Time they had Sight of four Ships, to whom they gave Chace; but these separating, two standing to Northward, and two to the Southward, the pyrates separated likewise, Bowen standing after those that steered Southerly, and Howard crowded after the others. Bowen came up with the heaviest of the two, which proved to be a Moorish Ship of 700 Tun, bound from the Gulph of Mocha to Surat. The pyrates brought the Prize into Rajapora, on the Coast of India, where they plundered her; the Merchandize they sold to the Natives, but a small Sum of current Gold they found aboard, amounting to 22,000 l. English Money, they put into their Pockets. Two Days after the Prosperous came in, but without any Prize; however, they soon made their Friends acquainted that they had not succeeded worse than themselves, for at Surat River's Mouth, where all the four Ships were bound, they came up with their Chace; and with a Broadside, one of them struck, but the other got into the Bay. They stood down the Coast with the Prize till they had plundered her of the best of her Cargoe, the most valuable of which was 84,000 Chequins, a Piece of about ten Shillings each, and then they left her adrift, without either Anchor or Cable, off Daman.
While they were lying at Rajapora they past a Survey on their Shipping, and judging their own to be less serviceable than their Prize, they voted them to the Flames, and straightway fitted up the Surat Ship; they transported both Companies aboard of her, and then set Fire to the Prosperous and Speedy Return. They mustered at this Place 164 fighting Men, 43 only were English, the greater
Number French, the rest Danes, Swedes and Dutch; they took aboard 70 Indians to do the Drudgery of the Ship, and mounted 56 Guns, calling her the Defiance, and sailed from Rajapora the latter End of October, in the Year 1703, to cruize on the Coast of Mallabar:
But not meeting with Prey in this first Cruise, they came to an Anchor about three Leagues to the Northward of Cochen, expecting some Boats to come off with Supplies of Refreshments, for which Purpose they fired several Guns, by way of Signal, but none appearing, the Quarter-Master was sent in the Pinnace to confer with the People, which he did with some Caution, keeping the Boat upon their Oars at the Shore-Side: In short, they agreed very well, the pyrates were promised whatever Necessaries they wanted, and the Boat returned aboard.
The next Day a Boat came off from the Town with Hogs, Goats, Wine, &c. with a private Intimation from Malpa, the Dutch Broker, an old Friend of the pyrates, that a Ship of that Country called the Rimæ, lay then in Mudbay, not many Leagues off, and if they would go out and take her, he would purchase the Cargo of them, and likewise promised that they should be further supplied with Pitch, Tar, and all other Necessaries, which was made good to them; for People from the Factory flocked aboard every Hour, and dealt with them as in open Market, for all Sorts of Merchandize, Refreshments, Jewels and Plate, returning with Coffers of Money, &c. to a great Value.
The Advice of the Ship was taken very kindly, but the pyrates judging their own Ship too large to go close into the Bay, consulted their Friend upon Means for taking the said Ship, who readily treated with them for the Sale of one of less Burthen that lay then in the Harbour; but Malpa speaking to one Punt of the Factory to carry her out, he not only refused to be concerned in such a Piece of Villainy, but reproved Malpa for corresponding with the pyrates, and told him, if he should be guilty of so base an Action, he must never see the Face of any of his Countrymen more; which made the honest Broker change both his Countenance and his Purpose.
At this Place Captain Woolley, whom they had taken for their Pilot on the India Coast, being in a very sick and weak Condition, was, at his earnest Intreaty, discharged from his severe Confinement among them, and set ashore, and the next Day the pyrates sailed, and ranged along the Mallabar Coast, in quest of more Booty. In their Way they met a second time with the Pembroke, and plundered her of some Sugar, and other small Things, and let her go again. From the Coast they sail'd back for the Island of Mauritius, where they lay some Time, and lived after their usual extravagant Manner.
At Mauritius two of the Crew, viz. Israel Phipeny and Peter Freeland, left the pyrates and concealed themselves in the Island till the Ship sailed. These two Men were part of Drummond's Crew, who found an Opportunity of coming to England soon after on board the Raper Galley, and arrived at Portsmouth in March 1725. When this came to be known, Mr. John Green, Brother to Capt. Green, then under Sentence, went thither and got the Affidavits of the said Phipeny and Freeland, made before the Mayor of Portsmouth, containing several Matters herein mentioned, which Affidavits were immediately brought to London, and by the Secretary of State sent away Express to Scotland, which arrived there some Hours before Capt. Green was executed.
Chapter XXII.
Of Capt. WILLIAM KID
We are now going to give an Account of one whose Name is better known in England, than most of those whose Histories we have already related; the Person we mean is Captain Kid, whose public Trial and Execution here, rendered him the Subject of all Conversation, so that his Actions have been chanted about in Ballads; however, it is now a considerable Time since these Things passed, and though the People knew in general that Captain Kid was hanged, and that his Crime was Pyracy, yet there were scarce any, even at that Time, who were acquainted with his Life or Actions, or could account for his turning Pyrate.
In the Beginning of King William's War, Captain Kid commanded a Privateer in the West-Indies, and by several adventurous Actions acquired the Reputation of a brave Man, as well as an experienced Seaman. About this Time the pyrates were very troublesome in those Parts, wherefore Captain Kid was recommended by the Lord Bellamont, then Governor of Barbadoes, as well as by several other Persons, to the Government here, as a Person very fit to be entrusted with the Command of a Government Ship, and to be employed in cruising upon the pyrates, as knowing those Seas perfectly well, and being acquainted with all their lurking Places; but what Reasons governed the Politics of those Times, I cannot tell, but this Proposal met with no Encouragement here, though it is certain it would have been of great Consequence to the Subject, our Merchants suffering incredible Damages by those Robbers.
Upon this Neglect the Lord Bellamont and some others, who knew what great Captures had been made by the pyrates, and what a prodigious Wealth must be in their Possession, were tempted to fit out a Ship at their own private Charge, and to give the Command of it to Captain Kid; and, to give the Thing a greater Reputation, as well as to keep their Seamen under the better Command, they procured the King's Commission for the said Captain Kid, of which the following is an exact Copy.
