The Real Captain Kidd: A Vindication

by Cornelius Neale Dalton

Boston, 17th July, 1699. Mr. John Gardner of Gardner’s Island presented this note to His Excellency in Council, which he made oath was delivered to him by Captain Kidd, as was wrote with the said Kidd’s own hand on board his sloop, and all the particulars therein mentioned were committed to his custody.

Examined by Isa Addington Secretary.

That the Journal of the said Captain Kidd, being violently taken from him in the Port of St. Marie’s in Madagascar, and his Life being many times threatened to be taken away from him by Ninety-Seven of his Men that deserted him there, he cannot give that exact Account he otherwise could have done: but as far as his Memory will serve, is as followeth, viz.,

That the said Adventure Galley was launched in Castle’s Yard at Deptford, about the Fourth of December 1695; and about the latter end of February the said Galley came to the Buoy in the Nore: and about the 1st Day of March following, his Men were pressed for him for the Fleet; which caused him to stay there for Nineteen Days; and then sailed for the Donnes, and arrived there about the Eighth or the Tenth Day of April 1696; and sailed thence for Plymouth; and on the Twenty-third Day of the said month of April he sailed on his intended Voyage: and, some time in the month of May, met with a small French Vessel, with Salt and Fishing Tackle on board, bound for Newfoundland, which he took and made Prize of, and carried the same into New York, about the Fourth Day of July, when she was condemned as lawful Prize: The Produce whereof purchased provisions for the said Galley, and for her further intended Voyage.

That about the Sixth Day of September 1696, the said Captain Kidd sailed for the Maderas, in company with one Joyner, Master of a Brigantine belonging to Bermudas, and arrived there about the 8th Day of October following: and thence to Bonavista, where they arrived about the nineteenth of the said month, and took in some Salt, and stayed Three or Four Days; and sailed thence to St. Jago, and arrived there the Twenty-fourth of the said Month, where he took in some Water, and stayed about Eight or Nine Days; and thence sailed for the Cape of Good Hope; and in the Latitude of Thirty-two, on the Twelfth Day of December 1696, met with Four English Men of War: Captain Warren was Commodore; and sailed a week in their Company; and then parted, and sailed to Telere, a Port in the Island of Madagascar, and being there about the Twenty-ninth Day of January, came in a Sloop belonging to Barbadoes, loaded with Rum, Sugar, Powder and Shot, one French Master, and Mr. Hatton and Mr. John Batt, Merchants; and the said Hatton came on board the said Galley, and was suddenly taken ill and died in the Cabin: And, about the latter end of February, sailed for the Island of Johanna, the said Sloop keeping Company, and arrived there about the Eighteenth Day of March; where he found Four East India Merchantsmen outward bound; and watered there all together, and staid about Four Days: And from thence, about the Twenty-second of March, sailed for Mehila, an Island Ten Leagues distant from Johanna, where he arrived the next Morning, and there careened the said Galley; and about Fifty men died there in a Week’s Time.

That on the 25th Day of April 1697, set sail for the Coast of India, and came upon the Coast of Mallabar, the Beginning of the Ninth of September; and went into Carwarr upon that Coast about the middle of the same Month, and watered there: And the Gentlemen of the English factory gave the Narrator an account, That the Portuguese were fitting out Two Men of War to take him; and advised him to put out to Sea, and to take Care of himself from them, and immediately to set sail thereupon; … about the 12th of the said month of September; and the next morning, about Break of Day saw the said Two Men of War standing for the said Galley; and spoke with him and asked him, Whence he was? Who replied from London; and they returned answer, From Goa; and so parted, wishing each other a good Voyage; And making still along the Coast, the Commodore of the said Man of War kept dogging the said Galley all the Night, waiting an Opportunity to board her; and in the Morning, without speaking a Word, Fired Six great Guns at the Galley, some whereof went through her, and wounded Four of his Men; and thereupon he fired upon him again; and the Fight continued all Day; and the narrator had Eleven Men wounded: the other Portuguese man of War lay some Distance off, and could not come up with the Galley, being calm; else would have likewise assaulted the same; the said Fight was sharp, and the said Portuguese left the said Galley with such Satisfaction, that the Narrator believes no Portuguese will ever attack the King’s Colours again, in that Part of the World especially. And afterwards continued upon the same Coast, cruising upon the coast of Cameroone, for Pirates that frequent that Coast, till the Beginning of the month of November 1697, When he met with Captain How in the Loyal Captaine, an English Ship belonging to Maderas, bound to Surratt, whom he examined; and finding his Pass good, designed to freely to let her pass about her Affairs; but, having Two Dutchmen on board, they told the Narrator’s Men, That they had divers Greeks and Armenians on board, who had divers precious Stones and divers other rich Goods on board, which caused his Men to be very mutinous, and got up their Arms, and swore they would take the Ship: and two-thirds of his Men voted for the same: The narrator told them, the small Arms belonged to the Galley, and that he was not come to take any Englishmen, or lawful Traders; and that if they attempted any such thing, they should never come on board the Galley again, nor have the Boat, or small Arms; for he had no Commission to take any but the King’s Enemies, and Pirates, and that he would attack them with the Galley, and drive them into Bombay; the other being a Merchantman, and having no Guns, might easily have done it with a few Hands; and, with all the Arguments and Menaces he could use, could scarce restrain them from their unlawful Design; but at last I prevailed, and with much ado I got him clear, and let him go about his Business. All which the said Captain How will attest, if living.

And that, about the 18th or 19th Day of the said month of November, met with a Moors Ship of about 200 Tons coming from Surratt, bound to the Coast of Mallabar, loaded with Two Horses, Sugar and Cotton, to trade there having about Forty Moors on board, with a Dutch Pilot, Boatswain, and Gunner; which said Ship the Narrator haled, and commanded on board; and with him came Eight or Nine Moors, and the said Three Dutchmen, who declared it was a Moors Ship; and demanding their pass from Surrat, which they shewed; and the same was a French Pass, which he believes was shewn by a Mistake; for the Pilot swore Sacrament she was a Prize, and staid on board the Galley; and would not return on board the Moor Ship; but went in the Galley to the Port of St. Marie.

And that, about the First Day of February following, upon the same Coast, under French Colours with a Design to decoy, met with a Bengall Merchantman belonging to Surratt, of the Burden of 4 or 500 Tons, 10 Guns; and he commanded the Master on board; and a Frenchman, Inhabitant of Surratt, and belonging to the French Factory there, and Gunner of the said Ship, came on board as Master; and when he came on board, the Narrator caused the English Colours to be hoisted; and the said Master was surprised, and said, You are all English; and asking, which was the Captain? Whom when he saw, said, Here is a good Prize, and delivered him the French Pass.

And that, with the said Two Prizes, sailed for the Port of St. Marie’s in Madagascar; and, sailing thither, the said Galley was so leaky, that they feared she would have sunk every Hour, and it required Eight men every Two Glasses to keep her free; and was forced to woold her round with Cables to keep her together; and with much ado carried her into the said Port of St. Marie’s, where she arrived about the First of April, 1698: And about the 6th day of May, the lesser Prize was haled into the careening Island or Key, the other not being arrived; and ransacked and sunk by the mutinous men; who threatened the Narrator, and the men that would not join with them to burn and sink the other, that they might not go home and tell the news.

And that, when he arrived in the said Port, there was a Pirate Ship, called the Moca Frigate, at an Anchor, Robert Culliford, Commander thereof; who with his Men, left the same at his coming in, and ran into the Woods: and the Narrator proposed to his Men to take the same, having sufficient Power and Authority so to do; but the Mutinous Crew told him, If he offered the same, they would rather fire Two Guns into him, than one into the other; and thereupon Ninety-seven deserted, and went into the Moca Frigate, and sent into the Woods for the said Pirates, and brought the said Culliford, and his Men, on board again; and all the time she staid in the said Port, which was the Space of Four or Five Days, the said Deserters, sometimes in great Numbers, came on board the said Galley and Adventure Prize, and carried away great Guns, Powder, Shot, small Arms, Sails, Anchors, Cables, Surgeons, Chests, and what else they pleased; and threatened several times to murder the Narrator, as he was informed, and advised to take care of himself; which they designed in the Night to effect; but was prevented by him locking himself in his Cabin at Night, and securing himself with barricading the same with Bales of Goods; and, having about Forty small Arms, besides Pistols, ready charged, kept them out; Their Wickedness was so great, after they had plundered and ransacked sufficiently, went Four Miles off to one Edward Welche’s House, where his the Narrator’s Chest was lodged, and broke it open; and took out Ten Ounces of Gold, 40 Pound of Plate, 370 Pieces of Eight, the Narrator’s Journal, and a great many Papers that belonged to him, and the People of New York that fitted them out.