Part 10

It does not appear all this while that he had the least design of turning Pirate; for near Mahala and Joanna both he met with several Indian ships richly laden, to which he did not offer the least violence, tho' he was strong enough to have done what he pleas'd with them; and the first outrage or depredation I find he committed upon mankind, was after his repairing his ship, and leaving Joanna; he touch'd at a place call'd Mabbee, upon the Red Sea, where he took some Guinea Corn from the natives, by force.

After this he sail'd to Bab's Key, a Place upon a little Island at the entrance of the Red Sea; here it was that he first began to open himself to his ship's company, and let them understand that he intended to change his measures; for, happening to talk of the Moca Fleet, which was to sail that way, he said We have been unsuccessful hitherto, but courage, my Boys, we'll make our fortunes out of this Fleet: And finding that none of them appear'd averse to it, he order'd a boat out, well mann'd, to go upon the coast to make discoveries, commanding them to take a prisoner and bring to him, or get intelligence any way they could. The boat return'd in a few days, bringing him word, that they saw fourteen or fifteen ships ready to sail, some with English, some with Dutch, and some with Moorish Colours. He therefore order'd a man continually to watch at the mast-head, least this Fleet should go by them; and about four days after, towards evening, it appear'd in sight, being convoy'd by one English and one Dutch Man-of-War. Kid soon fell in with them, and getting into the midst of them, fir'd at a Moorish ship which was next him; but the Men-of-War taking the Alarm, bore down upon Kid, and firing upon him, obliged him to sheer off, he not being strong enough to contend with them. Now he had begun hostilities, he resolv'd to go on, and therefore he went and cruis'd along the coast of Malabar; the first Prize he met was a small vessel belonging to Aden, the vessel was Moorish, and the Owners were Moorish Merchants, but the Master was an Englishman, his name was Parker. Kid forc'd him and a Portugueze that was call'd Don Antonio, which were all the Europeans on Board, to take on with them; the first he design'd as a pilot, and the last as an interpreter. He also used the men very cruelly, causing them to be hoisted up by the arms, and drubb'd with a naked cutlass, to force them to discover whether they had money on board, and where it lay; but as they had neither gold nor silver on board, he got nothing by his cruelty; however, he took from them a bale of pepper, and a bale of coffee, and so let them go.

Soon after this he came up with a Moorish Ship, the Master whereof was a Dutchman, call'd Schipper Mitchel, and chased her under French Colours, which they observing, hoisted French Colours too: When he came up with her, he hail'd her in French, and they having a Frenchman on board, answer'd him in the same language; upon which he order'd them to send their boat on board; they were oblig'd to do so, and having examin'd who they were, and from whence they came; he ask'd the Frenchman, who was a passenger, if he had a French pass for himself? The Frenchman gave him to understand that he had. Then he told the Frenchman he must pass for Captain, and by God, says he, you are the Captain: The Frenchman durst not refuse doing as he would have him: The meaning of this was, that he would seize the Ship as fair Prize, and as if she belonged to French Subjects, according to a commission he had for that purpose; tho', one would think, after what he had already done, that he need not have recourse to a quibble to give his actions a colour.

In short, he took the cargoe and sold it some time after, yet still he seem'd to have some fears upon him least these proceedings should have a bad end; for, coming up with a Dutch Ship some time, when his men thought of nothing but attacking her, Kid oppos'd it; upon which a mutiny arose, and the majority being for taking the said ship, and arming themselves to man the boat to go and seize her, he told them, such as did, never should come on Board him again; which put an end to the design, so that he kept company with the said ship some time, without offering her any violence: However, this dispute was the occasion of an accident, upon which an indictment was afterwards grounded against Kid; for Moor, the Gunner, being one day upon deck, and talking with Kid about the said Dutch Ship, some words arose betwixt them, and Moor told Kid, that he had ruin'd them all; upon which, Kid, calling him Dog, took up a bucket and struck him with it, which breaking his skull, he died the next day.

But Kid's penitential fit did not last long, for coasting along Malabar, he met with a great number of boats, all which he plunder'd. Upon the same Coast he also lit upon a Portugueze Ship, which he kept possession of a week, and then having taking out of her some chests of Indian goods, thirty jars of butter, and some wax, iron, and a hundred bags of rice, he let her go.

The Adventure Galley was now so old and leaky, that they were forced to keep two pumps continually going, wherefore Kid shifted all the guns and tackle out of her into the Queda Merchant, intending her for his Man-of-War; and as he had divided the Money before, he now made a division of the remainder of the cargo: Soon after which, the greatest part of the company left him, some going on board Captain Culliford, and others absconding in the Country, so that he had not above forty men left.

He put to sea and happened to touch at Amboyna, one of the Dutch Spice Islands, where he was told, that the news of his Actions had reach'd England, and that he was there declared a Pirate.

The truth on't is, his Piracies so alarmed our Merchants, that some motions were made in Parliament, to enquire into the commission that was given him, and the persons who fitted him out: These proceedings seem'd to lean a little hard upon the Lord Bellamont, who thought himself so much touch'd thereby, that he published a Justification of himself in a pamphlet after Kid's execution. In the mean time, it was thought advisable, to publish a Proclamation, offering the King's free Pardon to all such Pirates as should voluntarily surrender themselves, whatever Piracies they had been guilty of at any time, before the last day of April, 1699--That is to say, for all Piracies committed Eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, to the Longitude and Meridian of Socatora, and Cape Camorin. In which Proclamation, Avery and Kid were excepted by Name.

When Kid left Amboyna he knew nothing of this Proclamation, for certainly had he had notice of his being excepted in it, he would not have been so infatuated, to run himself into the very jaws of danger; but relying upon his interest with the Lord Bellamont, and fancying, that a French Pass or two he found on board some of the ships he took, would serve to countenance the matter, and that part of the booty he got would gain him new friends--I say, all these things made him flatter himself that all would be hushed, and that justice would but wink at him. Wherefor he sail'd directly for New York, where he was no sooner arrived, but by the Lord Bellamont's orders, he was secured with all his papers and effects. Many of his fellow-adventurers who had forsook him at Madagascar, came over from thence passengers, some to New England and some to Jersey; where hearing of the King's Proclamation for pardoning of Pirates, they surrendered themselves to the Governor of those places: At first they were admitted to bail, but soon after were laid in strict confinement, where they were kept for some time, till an opportunity happened of sending them with their Captain over to England to be tried.

Accordingly a Sessions of Admiralty being held at the Old Baily, in May, 1701, Captain Kid, Nicholas Churchill, James How, Robert Lumley, William Jenkins, Gabriel Loff, Hugh Parrot, Richard Barlicorn, Abel Owens, and Darby Mullins, were arraingn'd for Piracy and Robbery on the High Seas, and all found guilty, except three; these were Robert Lumley, William Jenkins, and Richard Barlicorn, who proving themselves to be apprentices to some of the officers of the ship, and producing their Indentures in Court, were acquitted.

Kid was tried upon an indictment of Murder also, viz. for killing Moor the Gunner, and found guilty of the same. Nicholas Churchill and James How pleaded the King's Pardon, as having surrendered themselves within the time limited in the Proclamation, and Colonel Bass, Governor of West Jersey, to whom they surrendered, being in Court, and called upon, proved the same; however, this plea was over-ruled by the Court, because there being four Commissioners named in the Proclamation, it was adjudged no other person was qualified to receive their surrender, and that they could not be intitled to the benefit.

As to Captain Kid's Defence, he insisted much upon his own innocence, and the villany of his men; he said he went out in a laudable employment and had no occasion, being then in good circumstances, to go a-Pirating; that the men often mutinied against him, and did as they pleas'd; that he was threatened to be shot in his cabin, and that ninety five left him at one time, and set fire to his boat, so that he was disabled from bringing his ship home, or the Prizes he took, to have them regularly condemn'd, which he said were taken by virtue of a commission under the broad seal, they having French Passes--The Captain called one Col. Hewson to his Reputation, who gave him an extraordinary character, and declared to the Court, that he had served under his command, and been in two engagements with him against the French, in which he fought as well as any man he ever saw; that there were only Kid's Ship and his own against Monsieur du Cass, who commanded a squadron of six sail, and they got the better of him, but this being several years before the facts mentioned in the Indictment were committed, prov'd of no manner of service to the Prisoner on his Trial.

As to the friendship shown to Culliford, a notorious Pirate, Kid denied, and said, he intended to have taken him, but his men being a parcel of rogues and villains refused to stand by him, and several of them ran away from his ship to the said Pirate.--But the evidence being full and particular against him, he was found Guilty as before mentioned.

When Kid was asked what he had to say why Sentence should not pass against him, he answered, That he had nothing to say, but that he had been sworn against by perjured wicked People. And when Sentence was pronounced, he said, My Lord it is a very hard Sentence. For my part I am the innocentest Person of them all, only I have been sworn against by perjured Persons.

Wherefore about a week after, Capt. Kid, Nicholas Churchill, James How, Gabriel Loff, Hugh Parrot, Abel Owen, and Darby Mullins, were executed at Execution Dock, and afterwards hung up in Chains, at some distance from each other, down the river, where their Bodies hung exposed for many years.

CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS CREW

Edward England went Mate of a Sloop that sailed out of Jamaica, and was taken by Winter, a Pirate, from whom he had the Command of a Sloop just before their Settlement at Providence. The man was brave and good natured, and far from being cruel, as most of them are; and would not have committed such barbarous actions as he did, had not his comrades compelled him to it.

He sailed to the Coast of Africa, after the Island of Providence was inhabited by the English. In his Passage he took several Ships, particularly the Cadogan Snow belonging to Bristol, one Skinner Master, who was murdered by those very men who had formerly served under him, upon a quarrel that happened between Skinner and them, about their wages: He shipped them on board a Man-of-War, from whence they deserted, and went on board a ship in the West-Indies, where they were taken by a pirate, and brought to Providence, and then they sailed with Captain England a-Pirating.

As soon as Skinner came on board, he saw his old Boatswain, who said, Ah! Captain Skinner is it you, I am much in your Debt, and now I shall pay you in your own Coin. These words put the Captain in a panic Fear: And indeed he had Reason enough to be afraid, for they immediately seized him, bound him to the Windlass, pelted him with Glass Bottles, afterwards whipt him about the Deck, and then said, because he had been a good Master, he should have an easy Death, and so shot him through the Head; the vessel and her Cargoe being given to Howel Davis.

After this England went into an Harbour to clean his Ship, and also fitted up the Peterborough, which he called the Victory. Then putting out to sea, they sailed for the East-Indies, and took Madagascar, by the Way. From thence, after taking in water and provisions, they went for Malabar, in the Empire of the Mogul. Here they took several Indian Vessels, and one European, a Dutch Ship, which they exchanged for one of their own, and then came back to Madagascar, where they sent several Hands on shore to kill venison, and then resolved to seek out for the remains of Avery's Crew; but returning without success, they being settled on the other side, they stay'd no longer than till they had cleaned their ships, and then sailed to Juanna.

In the Year 1720, the Bombay Fleet, consisting of four Grabs, the London Chandois, and some other ships, carried 1000 Men to bombard and batter Gapra, a fort belonging to Angria, on the Malabar Coast; which they not being able to do, fell in with the Pirates, in their return to Bombay: But Captain Upton the Commodore, having no orders, would not engage them; which so provoked the Governor, for missing so favourable an opportunity of cutting the Pirates all off, that he gave the command to Captain Mackra, with orders to fight them wherever he met with them.

But the Pirates proceeded to the southward, and took a small ship out of Orincro Road, with a Dutch and two Portugueze Men on board, one of which they sent to the Captain, to inform him, that if he would supply them with provisions and water he should have his ship again. But the Master would not agree to it; thereupon they sent other persons ashore, and swore he should be the last man they would give quarter to, and so put directly for Laccadeva Island, and arrived there in three days. But being informed by a Menchew, there was no anchor-ground there, they went to the next Island, called Melincha, whence they were driven by a storm, leaving behind them a hundred people, and all their water-casks: But in a week's time, they regained the island, took their people on board, and filled the water-casks. Provisions being scarce, they resolved to visit the Dutch at Cochin, and after three days sail, arrived off of Tellechery, where they took a small Vessel belonging to Governor Adams; who giving an account of Captain Mackra's fitting out against them, put them into a grievous passion.

Afterward they arrived at Mauritius, where they refitted the Victory, and then sailed the 5th of April for Madagascar, but called first at the Island Mascarine, at which they found a Portugueze ship of seventy guns at anchor, disabled by a violent storm, so that they easily became a Prize to the Pirates. She had on board the Conde Ereceira Vice-Roy of Goa, also they found on board her, in diamonds only, to the value of four millions of Dollars. They made the Vice-Roy a prisoner; but in consideration of his losses, accepted of a ransom of 2000 dollars and then set him and his followers ashore. Learning that an Ostender was on the leeward of that Island, they sailed and took her, and sent her to Madagascar with news of their success, where they followed themselves soon after, with two hundred Mozambique Negroes in the Portugueze Ship.

When Taylor came with the Portugueze Prize to Madagascar, they found that the Ostender had made his men drunk, and seized his ship, which they carried to the Mozambique; from thence the Governor ordered her to Goa. But the Pirates staid and clean'd the Cassandra, and divided very great plunder. Some, who thought they had got enough, staid at Madagascar, and the rest, having no occasion for two ships, burnt the Victory, she being leaky, and went on board the Cassandra, under the Command of Captain Taylor, designing to go for Cochin to dispose of his diamonds, amongst his old Friends the Dutch, and also to avoid the dangers of the Men-of-War that were in pursuit of them. But as he was preparing to sail, and heard of four Men-of-War coming after him; therefore he altered his mind, and sailed for the Main of Africa, and put in at Delagoa: But the Pirates were surprized in the evening with some shot from the shore. They took it for a desert shore, but it proved otherwise; for a few months before, the Dutch East India Company had settled one hundred men upon it, who, not being supplied with necessaries, were reduced to about sixteen; whom Taylor, upon their humble petition took aboard, and they all became Pirates with him.

Here they stayed about four months, careened their ships, and left Delagoa the latter end of December: But not agreeing among themselves, they parted those who were weary of that sort of life, went on board the Portugueze Prize, and sailed for Madagascar; the others went on board the Cassandra, and sailed for the Spanish West Indies. The Mermaid Man-of-War, which was a convoy to some Merchant-men, about 30 leagues distance, would have gone to attack them, had not the Merchants, whom he had the care of, declar'd their protection was of more service than destroying the Pirates; and so he was oblig'd to be content with only dispatching the news of it to Jamaica. This brought down the Lanceston, though it was a day or two too late, for they had just before surrendered, with all their riches, to the Governor of Porto-Bello, where they now live upon their Spoils, saying, others would have done as much, had they had the same opportunity; swearing, That whatever Robberies they had committed they are not the only Rogues in the World; for that the South-Sea did more Mischief in one Year, than they were able to do in their whole Lives.

FOOTNOTE:

The South-Sea Bubble.

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, ALIAS SMITH, AND HIS CREW