not.

9

Wee took in Some Water and went to Mohilla to clean our Ship. And this Sloop still followed Us, but our Captain told him severall times to be gone and agree amongst themselves, but they took no notice thereof, continuing with Us all the time of our Stay here, being about 5 weeks, where buryed severall of our Company but the just number I know when Wee had been there about 5 weeks a Pinnace came on board of Us with some Men, the quantity I know not, for being mortall sick, the Merchant of the Sloop dyed there too. Wee returned from this place to Johanna and the Sloop in our Company. Wee took in some more water and some French Men, the quantity I know not for I was carryed a shoar sick and lay a shoar all the time wee lay at Johanna. We sailed thence, leaving the Sloop behind Us, directly for India and touched at a place called Motta.10 there was 5 Junks ashoar and at an Anchor ditto place. our Captain wanted to take in some water, sending the Pinnace ashoar for some, which the Natives refused, upon which our Captain next morning sent both Boats with a matter of 40 Men or thereabouts with Armes, as I heard lying very Sick of a Feaver, Ague and Flux, and that he had bought two Cowes and some dates, and 2 dayes after the People run away into the Mountains, as I heard. after they run away the People sent a shoar, found India Corn and Garravances 11 in great holes, and brought off likewise six of the Natives, of whom four leaped overboard in the Night and swam ashoar. the other two gave [3] Cowes and 2 sheep for their ransom, as I heard of the Seamen, lying very ill. from thence wee went to the Babs 12 and there anchored to wait for the Pyrates, as the Seamen said, but meeting with none, sending the Pinnace out 3 or 4 times, as I heard of the Seamen, but at Carwar ashoar I heard. of the Seamen that they was to go to Mocho.13 after the

'Mohelli, another of the Comoro group.

10

"Matta in the Red Sea," says William Jinkins of Bow, in his deposition in Commons Journal, XIII. 24.

Chick-peas.

13 The straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.

"Mocha; see document no. 63, note 16a. Carwar is on the west coast of Hindustan, some 350 miles south of Bombay.

Pinnace went with the Captain, Quarter-Master came back and gave an account there was 17 Sail, which I heard of the Seamen as I lay very ill. our Captain ordered two men ashoar on one of the Babs. when the Fleet came in sight the Men waved the Jack.14 the whole Fleet came by the Babs on a Saturday in the evening in the month of August, but the day of the month I do not remember. our Captain weighed and stood amongst the Fleet, as I heard of the Seamen. the next morning at break of day one of the Fleet began to fire at Us, as I heard of the Seamen, which alarming the rest they all did the same. there was one Ship which the Captain said was a Mallabar, pretty near Us, as I heard of the Seamen. then our Captain ordered the People to row up to him, being but little Wind, then the Mallabar fired at Us and our Captain at him severall Guns. at last our Captain perceiving an English and Dutch Colours did all he could to get away. the Captain designed to go to the high Land off St. Johns.15 meeting with a small Vessell under English Colours he chased her and comanded the Master to come on board and plundered the Ship. I hearing a great noise asked what it was. they told me that our Folks beat the People aboard of the little ship and against night I heard there was a Portuguez. so doing my endeavour to creep up to speak to the Portuguez and asked him what was the best news, he told me that he and the Master was forced to stay on board of our Ship, and that he did belong to Bombay, and that our Captain had taken out some Rice, Raisons and old Cloths and some Money. I heard of the Seamen that our Captain had Information of three ships that had gone out of Aden bound for Callicut being off Carwar, and being in necessity for Wood and Water put in there, at which time I made great intercession to the Captain for leave to go ashoar, which at last I obtained by giving him a Beaver Hat, for he was unwilling to let any go ashoar but whom he thought he could trust, for fear they should run away for most of his people seemed dissatisfyed and would I believe do as I have

14 See document no. 33, note 15.
"Probably Diu, in northwest India.

done in making their Escape if had opportunity, for the Carpenter and his mate with severall others does design to run away with the Pinnace. This I do swear by the old Testament to the best of my knowledge and what I have heard of the Seamen that all the above written is true.

Bombay the 20th October 1697.
Sworn before me:

BENJAMIN FRANKS.

72. The President and Council of the Leeward Islands to Secretary Vernon. May 18, 1699.1

Right Honourable Sir

Your Letter of the 23d of November last 2 in relacion to that notorious Pirate Captain Kidd came safe to our hands, and shall take particular care to put the same in execucion, and in order thereto have sent copies thereof to the Lieutenant or Deputy Governor of each respective Island under this Government; since which wee have had this following account of the said Kidd (vizt.) That he lately came from Mallagascoe in a large Gennouese vessell of about Foure hundred Tonns, Thirty Guns mounted, and eighty men, and in his way for these partes his men mutinyed, and thirty of them lost theire Lives; That his vessell is very Leaky; and that they are very much in want. of Provisions; And that severall of his men have deserted him soe that he has not above five and twenty or thirty

1 Public Record Office, C. O. 152:3, no. 21. This letter conveyed to the British government its first knowledge of the return of Captain Kidd to the western hemisphere. The Leeward Islands-Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christopher, the most important being Nevis-constituted at this time one government, though with subordinate administration in the several islands. The governor having died, the council, of which William Burt was president, was acting as governor till a new governor should arrive. Burt and the other signers of this letter were all of Nevis. James Vernon, to whom the letter is addressed, was secretary of state; he was the father of Admiral Vernon, for whom Mount Vernon was named.

2 Printed in the Commons Journal, XIII. 16. It was the circular letter

to colonial governors ordering them to apprehend Kidd.

3

The Quedah Merchant; see post. She is here spoken of as Genoese,

but other documents of the time speak of her as "Moorish built."

hands on board; about twenty dayes since he touched at Anguilla, a small Island under this Government, where he Tarryed about foure houres; but being refused succour Sailed thence for the Island of St. Thomas (an Island belonging to the Crowne of Denmarke) and Anchored off that Harbour three dayes, in which time he treated with them alsoe for releife; but the Governor absolutely Denying him, he bore away farther to Leeward (as it is beleived) for Porto Rico or Crabb Island; upon which advice wee forthwith ordered his Majesties Shipp Queeneburrough, now attending this Government, Captain Rupert Billingsly Commander, to make the best of his way after him; and in case he mett with him to secure him with his men, vessell and effects, and bring them upp hither, That no Imbezlement may be made, but that they may be secured till wee have given you advice thereof, and his majesties pleasure relateing thereto can be knowne. Wee shall by the first conveniencie transmitt the like account of him to the Governor of Jamaica, soe that if he goes farther to Leeward Due care may be taken to secure him there; As for those men who have deserted him, wee have taken all possible care to apprehend them, especially if they come within the districts of this Government, and hope on returne of his majesties Friggatt shall be able to give you a more ample account hereof.

Wee are with all due Respects

Right Honorable

And now belonging to the United States. On Kidd at St. Thomas, see document no. 83, post.

Now commonly called Vieques, a small island lying a few miles east of Puerto Rico, and also now belonging to the United States.

73. Examination of Edward Buckmaster. June 6, 1699.1

Taken this 6 June 1699.

The Answer of Edward Buckmaster to severall questions put to him by the Honorable John Nanfan, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor of this province,2 the said Buckmaster being sworne to answer all such Questions as should be demanded of him.

Impr[imi]s. That the first land they made after they parted from this port in the Adventure Galley, Capt. William Kidd Commander, was the Island of Maderas, from whence they went directly to Madagascar, where they staid about A month to victual and careen. That there were no vessels at Madagascar when they came there. That they sailed from thence to a small Island called Johanna, lying in the Latitude of 12 degrees south, and from thence to Mahela, Lying in the Latitude of 11 degrees south; that they staid at the said Johanna and Mahela two Months where the Natives supplyed them with provisions. That there were four East India ships belonging to the Company at the Island Johanna at the same time they were there, the one called the East India Merchant the second the Maderasse, the third was a fly boat, and the fourth he knows not the name of.

Item. That from thence they sailed along the shore of Magellona in the redd sea but saw no vessels till they came into the Latitude of 12 degrees north. That there they Met with several ships, some with English, some with Dutch, and some with Moors Colours, with whom they

'Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson MSS., A. 272, fol. 48; also in the Public Record Office, C. O. 5: 1042, no. 40 XI. Edward Buckmaster, "one of Shelley's men", was committed June 7, and broke prison Aug. 25. Cal. St. P. Col., 1699, pp. 278, 401. A year later, though he was supposed to be still alive, a rascally chaplain of the fort at New York married his wife to Capt. Adam Baldridge of document no. 68, obtaining a marriage license for "Adam Ball" and adding "-dridge" afterward. N. Y. Col. Doc., IV. 333, 413, 766.

2

Capt. John Nanfan, a cousin of Bellomont's wife, was lieutenantgovernor of New York under him, and administered the province during Bellomont's absence in Massachusetts.