FOOTNOTES
[61] Capt. William Kidd was born in Greenock, Scotland, about 1655 and probably was the son of Rev. John Kidd who suffered the torture of the boot. In August, 1689, he arrived at the island of Nevis, in the West Indies, in command of a privateer of sixteen guns that had been taken from the French at Basseterre by the English members of her crew. The next year his privateer took part in Hewetson’s expedition to Mariegalante; but in February, 1691, while he was on shore, his company deserted him and ran away with the vessel. Most of the crew were former pirates and liked their old trade better. A month later he reached New York where he obtained command of another privateer and before long brought in a French ship. The last of May, 1691, the Government sent him out in pursuit of a French privateer which he followed so leisurely that she escaped. Arriving at Boston, June 8th, he received proposals to go in search of the privateer which were not satisfactory to him and further negotiations were without result, so that complaint was made to the Governor of New York that Kidd neglected a fair opportunity to take her. In August, 1695, he was in London, in command of the brigantine “Antego,” and while there testified as to the irregularities existing in New York. Two months later, on October 10th, he signed articles with the Earl of Bellomont which sent him to the Indian ocean and later to Execution Dock on the Thames.
[62] Prizes.
[63] Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1699, pp. 366-367.
[64] Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1699, p. 371.
[65] The original letter is now preserved in the Boston Public Library.
[66] Captain Kidd married in May, 1691, Sarah Oort, the widow of John Oort, merchant of New York.
[67] See Paine, The Book of Buried Treasure, page 104, for a photographic reproduction.
CHAPTER VI
Thomas Tew, who Retired and Lived at Newport
Privateering was a thriving business during the last half of the seventeenth century, and commissions were issued in large numbers by all the colonial governors in America.
In 1691, Thomas Tew, a young seaman hailing from Rhode Island in New England, came into Bermuda with gold in his pockets and after a time purchased a share in the sloop “Amity,” owned by merchants and officials living on the island, among whom were Thomas Hall, Richard Gilbert, John Dickenson, Col. Anthony White and William Outerbridge. The latter was a member of the Governor’s Council. Tew claimed to belong to a good Rhode Island family that had been living there since 1640,[68] and having interested his part-owners in the “Amity,” a privateering commission was obtained from the governor and beating up a willing crew of volunteers, the sloop, with Tew in command, was shortly on her eastward passage.
It was afterwards claimed by one Weaver, counselor for the King in the prosecution of Governor Fletcher of New York, that during Tew’s stay at Bermuda “it was a thing notoriously known to everyone that he had before then been a pirate”;[69] and a sailor who had known him well testified that he “had been rambling.” When Tew sailed from Bermuda there went in company with him another privateer sloop commanded by Capt. George Drew, fitted out by the governor, and the commissions issued to these captains instructed them to take the French factory at Goree, on the river Gambia, on the west coast of Africa.
On the voyage out a violent storm came up; Captain Drew’s sloop sprung her mast and the two vessels lost sight of each other. A morning or two after the gale had spent itself Captain Tew ordered all hands on deck and told them that they probably realized the proposed attack on the French factory would be of little value to the public and of no particular reward to them for their bravery. As for booty, there was not the least prospect of any. Speaking for himself, he had only agreed to take a commission for the sake of being employed and therefore he was of the opinion they should turn their thoughts to bettering their condition and if so inclined he would shape a course that would lead to ease and plenty for the rest of their days. The ship’s company undoubtedly were prepared for Captain Tew’s proposal for we are told that they unanimously cried out, “A gold chain or a wooden leg—we’ll stand by you.”[70]
A quartermaster was then chosen to look out for the interests of the ship’s company and instead of continuing the voyage to Gambia, a course was made for the Cape of Good Hope and in time the Red Sea was reached. Just as they were entering the Strait of Babelmandeb, a large and richly laden Arabian vessel hove in sight carrying about three hundred soldiers and much gold. Tew told his men that this was their opportunity to strike for fortune and although it was apparent that the ship was full of men and mounted a great number of guns, the Arabs would be lacking in skill and courage; which proved true for she was taken without loss. Each man’s share in the gold and jewels amounted to over three thousand pounds sterling and the store of powder was so great that much was thrown overboard.
From the Strait they steered for Madagascar where the quartermaster and twenty-three others elected to leave the ship and settle there proposing to enjoy a life of ease in a delightful climate producing all the necessaries for existence. The rest of the company remained with Captain Tew who planned to return to America. The sloop sailed but before getting out of sight of land sighted a ship and Tew, thinking to return home somewhat richer, stood towards her and when within gunshot hoisted black colors and fired a gun to windward. The stranger hove to and fired a gun to leeward and hoisting out a boat Captain Tew soon learned that he had intercepted Captain Mission, a famous pirate in those parts who had come out from France with a privateering commission and some time before had established a settlement on Madagascar and named it Libertatia.
Captain Tew was invited on board the “Victoire,” Captain Mission’s ship, and after being handsomely entertained was invited to visit the pirate colony that had been set up at Libertatia. On returning to the sloop and telling his men what he had learned, the company consented and Mission’s ship was followed until the harbor was reached which they were much surprised to see was well fortified. The first fort saluted them with nine guns and the company on shore received Captain Tew and his men with great civility. He was soon invited to take part in a council of officers to consider what should be done with the large number of prisoners brought in by Mission. Seventy-three of these men, English and Portuguese, took on and the rest were set at work on a dock in process of construction about half a mile above the mouth of the harbor.
Tew and his men were charmed with the settlement and the new friends they had made and here they remained until Captain Mission, desiring to strengthen his colony, decided to send a ship to Guinea to seize slaving ships frequenting that coast. He offered the command of this expedition to Captain Tew and gave him a crew of two hundred men composed of thirty English and the rest French, Portuguese and negroes.
Tew didn’t sight a vessel until in the Atlantic, north of the Cape of Good Hope, where he fell in with a Dutch East Indiaman of eighteen guns which he took with the loss of but one man and secured several chests filled with English crowns. Nine of the Dutchmen joined his company and the rest were set ashore in Soldinia Bay. On the coast of Angola he took an English vessel with two hundred and forty slaves aboard among whom the negroes in his crew found relatives. These men told the slaves of the happy life they lead in Madagascar where none lived in slavery and so prepared, their leg irons and handcuffs were taken off and a course was made for Libertatia where the captured slaves were set at work on the dock.
After his return Captain Tew was given command of a sloop mounting eight guns and manned with one hundred men and with the schoolmaster in command of another sloop of about the same size, made a voyage around Madagascar charting the coast and discovering the shoals and depths of water. Tew’s sloop was called the “Liberty.” The schoolmaster commanded the “Childhood”; and the expedition was absent nearly four months.
Not long after this Captain Tew proposed that he should return to America and arrange with merchants to send to Madagascar ship’s stores, clothing and a variety of luxuries needed for the safety and comfort of the pirate colony. Some of his men also wished to return to their families, and so the “Amity” was refitted and Tew set a course for the Cape and soon was in the South Atlantic bound for the island of Bermuda. Contrary winds prevented, however, and running into a brisk gale he sprung his mast and after beating about for a fortnight at last made his old home at Newport, R. I., where he was received with much respect when his prosperous “privateering” voyage became known.
From here he dispatched an account to his part-owners in Bermuda and an order for them to send an agent to receive their share in the produce of the voyage and a few weeks later a sloop arrived, commanded by one Captain Stone, who, some years after testified that when he presented his order to Captain Tew from the Bermuda owners, he found that part of the money was buried in the ground at Newport and for the remainder he was obliged to go to Boston.[71]
Outerbridge, the councillor, received £540 left by Tew in Boston and his entire share in the proceeds of the voyage amounted to over £3000, which reached him in the form of “Lyon dollars and Arabian gold.” The pieces of Arabian gold were then worth about two Spanish dollars and soon were common in Rhode Island and New York. Tew’s share in the proceeds amounted to about £8000.
Some ten years later, when Kidd and Bradish had been hanged and the Council of Trade was busily engaged in stirring up matters supposedly overlooked or forgotten, an officious agent of the Council appeared at Bermuda and began to uncover the close relations existing between pirates and prominent merchants and officials in the islands. Some of the facts concerning Outerbridge, Colonel White and others then came out and were reported to London. The agent was George Larkin and he brought a commission as Judge of an Admiralty Court which very soon was ignored and when his true activities were recognized he was threatened and various complaints were made under oath and at last he was arrested “by the Marshall with a file of musqueteers and taken to the castle, a forlorne place, where there is but one room and the waves of the sea beat over the platform into it in stormy weather.... The Clerk of the Justices came to the Islands, a fidler in a Pyrate ship and the proceedings here against me differ in few circumstances from the Inquisition till they come to the Rack.”[72]
Captain Tew when in Boston had applied to the governor for a new privateering commission and been refused but found no considerable objection in Rhode Island although it cost him £500. In New York, he found Frederick Phillips not averse to making profitable voyages to Madagascar and soon the ship “Frederick” was dispatched with a full cargo and seven years later the Rev. John Higginson of Salem, when writing to his son Nathaniel, in command of Fort George, at Madras, reported the current rumor that Phillips had attained an estate of £100,000, much of it gained in the pirate trade to Madagascar.
Having completed his arrangements, Tew set sail with a commission authorizing him to seize the ships of France and the enemies of the Crown of England and in a few weeks had rounded the Cape and was at anchor in the harbor at Libertatia.
Not long after his return he went out with Captain Mission on a cruise to the Red Sea, each in command of a ship manned by about two hundred and fifty men including many negroes. Off the coast of Arabia Felix they came upon a large ship belonging to the Great Mogul with more than a thousand pilgrims on board bound for Mecca. The ship carried one hundred and ten guns but made a poor defence and was boarded and taken without the loss of a single man. After a consultation it was decided to put the prisoners ashore near Aden, but as they wanted women, over one hundred unmarried girls, from twelve to eighteen years old, were kept notwithstanding their tears and the lamentations of their parents. With the large ship in company they made their way back to Libertatia where they found in her hold a vast quantity of diamonds, besides rich silks, spices, rugs and wrought and bar gold.
The prize was a heavy sailer and of no use so she was taken to pieces and her guns mounted in two batteries near the mouth of the harbor. The settlement was now so strongly fortified that there was little danger of successful attack from shipping. By this time they had also cleared and cultivated a considerable area of land and had in pasturage over three hundred black cattle. The dock was finished and all were living comfortably and happily each supplied according to taste and nationality with several white, yellow or black wives.
One morning a sloop that had been sent out to exercise the negroes, came back chased by five tall ships which proved to be fifty-gun ships flying the Portuguese flag. The alarm was given and all the forts and batteries manned. Tew commanded the English and Mission commanded the French and the negroes. The two forts at the entrance to the harbor didn’t stop the ships, though one was brought on the careen, but once inside, the forts, batteries, sloops and ships gave them so warm a reception that two of them sank and many men were drowned. Having entered just before the turn of the tide, the other ships, with the help of the ebb tide, made haste to escape; but they were followed by the ships and sloops in the harbor and in the bay, after a running fight, one was taken that greatly increased the store of powder and shot in the magazine. The other two escaped but in crippled condition. This was the engagement with the pirates that made so much noise in Europe and America.
Captain Tew was now made admiral of their fleet and proposed building an arsenal, which was agreed upon. He also proposed going on a cruise, hoping to meet East India ships and bring in some volunteers, for he thought the colony at that time more in need of men than riches. The flagship “Victoire” was accordingly fitted out and manned with three hundred men and Tew put to sea intending to call first at the settlement made by his former quartermaster and men, where, coming to anchor, he went ashore. The governor, alias quartermaster, received him civilly but could not be persuaded to agree upon a change in his comfortable situation where his company enjoyed all the necessaries of life and were free and independent of all the world.
Late that afternoon, while they were drinking a bowl of punch, a violent storm came up suddenly with so high a sea that Captain Tew could not go out to his ship. The storm increased and in less than two hours the “Victoire” parted her cables and was driven ashore on a steep point where everyone on board was drowned in sight of Tew who could give no assistance. Not knowing which way to turn he remained with his former men hoping that Captain Mission in time might come in search of him, which happened a few weeks later.
One morning two sloops came to anchor off-shore and soon a canoe was hoisted out and brought Captain Mission ashore. He brought doleful news. At dead of night two great bodies of natives had come down on the pirate settlement and slaughtered men, women and children without mercy. The absence of the three hundred men on the “Victoire” and the sailing about the same time of another pirate ship, the “Bijoux,” had so weakened the settlement that the natives soon prevailed through sheer force of numbers and Captain Mission escaped with only forty-five men. He was able, however, to bring away with him a considerable weight of rough diamonds and bar gold.
The two captains condoled with each other over their misfortunes and Tew at last proposed that they abandon further roving and return to America where, with the riches that remained to them, they could live in comfort and safety for the rest of their lives. Mission was a Frenchman and could not think of retiring from active life until he had visited his family, but he gave up one of the sloops to Tew and divided with him the diamonds and gold that had been saved.
A week later the two captains sailed, Mission having fifteen Frenchmen and Portuguese in his sloop and Tew taking thirty-four English in the sloop commanded by him. They shaped a course for the Guinea Coast, but off Infantes, before reaching the Cape, they were overtaken by a storm in which the unhappy Mission’s sloop went down within a musket shot of Captain Tew who could give no assistance.
Captain Tew continued his course for America and reached Newport safely where his men took their share of diamonds and gold and quietly dispersed as they thought best while Tew settled down among his former acquaintances to spend a tranquil life. He lived unquestioned and with his easy fortune might in time have married the daughter of some neighbor and spent the remainder of his days as a retired privateersman. One of his company, Thomas Jones, who had formerly sailed with “Long Ben” Avery, married Penelope Goulden and also settled down and lived in Rhode Island, but others, who continued to live there or elsewhere in the province, soon squandered their shares and began soliciting him to make another voyage. For a time he refused until at last a considerable number of resolute lads came in a body and so earnestly begged him to head them for one more voyage that he finally agreed.
His frequent journeys to New York in connection with shipments to Madagascar and more recently for the purpose of disposing of some part of his store of diamonds, had given him an acquaintance with Governor Fletcher, so in October, 1694, he presented himself at the Governor’s mansion for the purpose of obtaining a privateering commission. Governor Fletcher, like some other colonial governors, was always ready to turn “an honest penny” and on Nov. 8, 1694, Tew was in possession of the desired commission it having cost him exactly £300.
It was afterwards claimed by the Attorney General of New York in a report to the Earl of Bellomont, the succeeding governor, that it was well-known in New York that Captain Tew had been roving in the Red Sea and had made much money. “He had brought his spoil to Rhode Island and his crew dispersed in Boston where they shewed themselves publicly. In 1694 or 1695 Tew came to New York, where Governor Fletcher entertained him and drove him about in his coach, though Tew publicly declared that he would make another voyage to the Red Sea and make New York his port of return.... He fitted out his sloop in Rhode Island, whence he sailed to the Red Sea and there died or was killed. His crew picked up another ship at Madagascar.”[73]
Governor Bellomont sent numerous dispatches to the Lords of Trade describing in much detail the relations of his predecessor in office with those who had sailed “on the account,” armed with privateering commissions issued by Fletcher. He wrote that many pirates in the Red Sea and elsewhere had been fitted out in New York or Rhode Island. The ships commanded by Mason, Tew, Glover and Hore were commissioned by Governor Fletcher. Everybody knew at the time they were bound for the Red Sea, “being openly declared by the captains so as to enable them to raise men and proceed on their voyage quickly.... Captain Tew, who had before been a notorious pirate, on his return from the East Indies with great riches visited New York, where, although a man of infamous character, he was received and caressed by Governor Fletcher, dined and supped often with him and appeared publicly in his coach. They also exchanged presents, such as gold watches, with each other.”[74]
Governor Fletcher, on the other hand, protested that Captain Tew had produced a commission from the Governor of Bermuda and accordingly he had granted him another to make war against the French. “Captain Tew brought no ship into this port. He came as a stranger and came to my table like other strangers who visit this province. He told me he had a sloop well manned and gave bond to fight the French at the mouth of Canada river, whereupon I gave him a commission and instructions accordingly.... It may be my misfortune, but not my crime, if they turn pirates. I have heard of none yet that have done so.”
“Tew appeared to me,” wrote the disingenuous governor, “not only a man of courage and activity, but of the greatest sense and remembrance of what he had seen of any seaman that I ever met with. He was also what is called a very pleasant man, so that some times after the day’s labour was done, it was divertisement as well as information to me to hear him talk. I wished in my mind to make him a sober man, and in particular to cure him of a vile habit of swearing. I gave him a book for that purpose, and to gain the more upon him I gave him a gun of some value. In return he made me a present which was a curiosity, though in value not much.”[75]
Tew’s commission was signed by Gov. Benjamin Fletcher and countersigned by his private secretary, Daniel Honan, but his bond was signed by Edward Coates, a notorious pirate, so it was said, and by John Feny, “a Popist tailor of this city and a beggar.”[76]
Meanwhile, reasonably certain of securing his commission, Tew had been busily engaged in fitting out his sloop for the new venture. He made no bones about his intentions and such was his sense of security that he talked freely with neighbors and also strangers.
A traveller passing through Newport in October, 1694, records that he then saw three vessels fitting out. One of them, a sloop, was commanded by Thomas Tew or Tue, whom he had known in Jamaica, twelve years before. “He was free in discourse with me and declared that he was last year in the Red Sea; that he had taken a rich ship belonging to the Mogul and had received for his owner’s dividend and his sloop’s twelve thousand odd hundred pounds, while his men had received upwards of a thousand pounds each. When I returned to Boston there was another barque of about thirty tons ready to sail and join Tew in the same account. I was likewise advised of another that had sailed from the Whore Kills in Pennsylvania, and that one or two were since gone on the same account. I understand that two of the four that I saw are returned with great booty.”[77]
“Captain Tew had a commission from the Governor of New York to cruise against the French,” afterwards wrote Governor Bellomont. “He came out on pretence of loading negroes at Madagascar, but his design was always to go into the seas, having about seventy men on his sloop of sixty tons. He made a voyage three years ago in which his share was £8000. Want was then his mate. He then went to New England and the Governor would not receive him; then to New York where Governor Fletcher protected him. Colonel Fletcher told Tew he should not come there again unless he brought store of money, and it is said that Tew gave him £300 for his commission. He is gone to make a voyage in the Red Sea, and if he makes his voyage will be back about this time. This is the third time that Tew has gone out, breaking up for the first time in New England and the second time in New York. The place that receives them is chiefly Madagascar, where they must touch both going and coming. All the ships that are now out are from New England, except Tew from New York and Want from Carolina. They build their ships in New England, but come out under pretence of trading from island to island. The money they bring in is current there and the people know very well where they go. One Captain Gough who keeps a mercer’s shop at Boston got a good estate in this way. On first coming out they generally go first to the Isle of May for salt, then to Fernando for water, then round the Cape of Good Hope to Madagascar to victual and water and so for Batsky [sic] where they wait for the traders between Surat and Mecca and Tuda, who must come at a certain time because of the trade wind. When they come back they have no place to go to but Providence, Carolina, New York, New England and Rhode Island, where they all along have been kindly received.”[78]
Captain Tew sailed from Newport in the sloop “Amity,” in November, 1694, and was joined by Captain Want in a brigantine and Captain Wake[79] in another small vessel that had been fitted out at Boston. Want was Tew’s mate on the first voyage and returned with him and spent his share of the plunder in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. On the present voyage, Thomas Jones of Newport was also associated with him. One Captain Glover, in a ship owned by New York merchants, is also said to have joined Tew’s fleet and to have remitted to his owners the value of the vessel. Probably Tew’s gold may have made the restitution possible.[80]
In June, 1695, Captain Tew was at Liparau island at the mouth of the Red Sea, where with other English vessels he joined the fleet commanded by Captain Avery. Tew at that time had a crew of about forty men. After lying there some time Avery sent a pinnace to Mocha and took two men who gave them information as to the ships coming down. They then stood out to sea and five or six days later the Moors’ ships, twenty-five in number, passed them in the night. Hearing of this from a captured junk they followed. The “Amity” was a bad sailer and fell astern and never came up. The rest of the fleet overtook one of the Moorish vessels and captured her after having fired three shots and found on board £60,000 in gold and silver. Soon another ship was taken after a fight of three hours. The loot of this vessel was so great that each of the one hundred and eighty men engaged received as his share over £1000. There was a great quantity of jewels and a saddle and bridle set with rubies designed as a present for the Great Mogul.[81]
After this fight, mention of Captain Tew disappears from all contemporary sources of information save the passing allusions made by the Attorney General of New York in his report to the Earl of Bellomont (see page 93). It therefore is highly probable that there may be foundation for the statement by Captain Johnson in his “History of the Pirates,” that Captain Tew “attack’d a Ship belonging to the Great Mogul; in the Engagement, a Shot carried away the Rim of Tew’s Belly, who held his Bowels with his Hands some small Space; when he dropp’d it struck such a Terror in his men, that they suffered themselves to be taken, without making Resistance.”