Boston, New England.
July 25th, 1699.

4. A Copy of the Examination of Gabriel Loff, of Long Island, within the Province of New York, Seaman,

Who saith, That, in September 1696, he entered himself on board the Adventure Galley, Captain Kidd Commander, as a Foremast-man, at New York; and proceeded in the Galley from thence, first to Madera, then to Bonavista, St. Jago, and from thence to Joanna; and from Joanna made their Course to the Red Sea to cruise for Pirates; and, after some time spent there, meeting with no Purchase, sailed for the Coast of India, and cruised there, and there gave chace to a Ship, which shewed us French Colours, and Moorish Colours, and some others; and after some Chace, came up with her: Captain Kidd commanded the Commander of her to come on board; who accordingly did: The Examinant knows not what Nation he was of; but he brought a French Pass, and told Captain Kidd, That his Ship was a Prize and Captain Kidd made Prize of her, and her Lading: She was about 150 Tons in Burden, laden with Cotton Wool, Bees Wax, Tobacco and Two Horses: The company were chiefly Moors;—only Three Christians;—he knows not the Number; the Christians remained in the Galley, and took up Arms there; The Moors were sent on shore. Soon after the Taking of this Ship, the Examinant was taken sick, and lay so most of the Voyage: Knows not what they did with the Lading: The Ship they carried to Madagascar; and there sunk her. Some weeks after the Taking of the said Ship, they took another Ship, at the Coast of India, of Burden of 400 Tons, or upwards, commanded by one Wright, an Englishman; which Ship came from Bengall: The Ship was chiefly manned with Moors and Armenians: There was Three Christians on board.

The Examinant further saith, They carried the said Ship and Lading with them to Madagascar; and there landed all the Bale-goods on board, consisting of Callicoes, Muslins, Silk, and White, striped and plain, Romalls, Bengalls, and Laches: There fell betwixt Three and Four Bales to a Share: The Examinant had Three whole Bales and a Piece of a Bale, to his Share: some of which he disposed of at Madagascar, to buy Provisions; and left some in the Ship; the Remainder he had in his own Chest, and some in Martin Skinke’s Chest; which Chests were put on board a New York Sloop in the Sound, commanded by one Coster, and committed to his Care, to be carried to New York: Captain Kidd had Forty odd Shares for himself, and his Ship; most of his men deserted. At St. Marie’s, a difference arose between the Captain and his Company; Captain Kidd proposing to them to take the Mocha Frigate, which lay there; but the generality of the men refused, saying, They would sooner shoot him than into the said Mocha Frigate: And they went aboard the said Frigate.

Further the Examinant saith, That the aforesaid Ship, commanded by Captain Wright, and taken by Captain Kidd in the Seas of India, was called the Quiddah Merchant: And that the said Kidd, and his Company that remained with him, bought the said Ship from Madagascar into Hispaniola, in the West Indies; and there the said Captain Kidd traded with Two Persons, named Boulton and Burt, for some of the Bale-goods, which were delivered out of the Ship: And Captain Kidd bought a Sloop of the said Mr. Boulton, and laded the said Sloop with Bale-goods taken out of the said Ship for so much as he could conveniently stow, and lodge the men besides: The Number of Bales he knows not: And, leaving the said Boulton, with Seventeen or Eighteen men, on board the Ship, the said Captain Kidd, with several of his Company, proceeded in the said Sloop towards New York; and the Discourse was, That Captain Kid was to return to the Ship again within the Space of Three Months: And, after their Departure from Hispaniola they arrived, with the said Sloop, first at Horekills in Delaware Bay, where they landed a Chest belonging to one James Gillam, a Passenger with them from Madagascar: Knows not what was in it: And from the Horekills they sailed with the said Sloop into the Sound, and put some Goods on shore at Gardner’s Island; the Quantity the Examinant knows not: Also put some Goods and Chests on board the New York Sloop, one Coster, Master, then lying at said Gardner’s Island: And also put a Pack of Goods on shore at Tarpolin Cove. Whilst they lay with the said Sloop off Rhode Island, James Gillam, before-named, went on shore in a Boat, that came on board the same Sloop; Knows not from whence the said Boat came, nor who she belonged to.

Gabriel Loff.

Taken, die praedict before us

Copy examined per