Captain Kidd had a problem which was unique and never encountered before on a pirate vessel. The adventure Galley was now a pirate Hunter! Captain Kidd's pirate crew had never attacked their own group of sailors before! Captain Kidd’s crew were outlaws without any allegiance to any crown or authority.
In
the “Pirate Hunter” Richard Zack points out that Captain Kidd
was a Scott lording over a English and Dutch crew. Once he rounds the
Cape of Good Hope, he will find no friendly ports of refuge, except
pirate ports.
On
the twenty eight million square miles of the Indian Ocean they needed
to find five European pirate ships. Most of which are carrying
relatives and friends of his crew! He had a one year time limit
and some of the most powerful men in the world waiting for his
return!
On
August 19, 1697 the Adventure Gally captured a East India Company
ship near Janjira India. After torturing the crew he took the British
Captain captive and forced him to serve as a pilot (guide) for
several month's.
Continuing
along the Indian Coast in a southerly direction they were in several
other skirmishes at sea, finally arriving at Laccdive Island.
The
Adventure Galley attacked the natives forcing the men into slave
labor, they cut up their boats and used them for firewood, they raped
their women.
That
November they encountered another East India Company ship. For an
unknown reason, the crew wanted to attack but the Captain convinced
the crew to stand down!
A
few weeks later they encountered a Dutch ship, which they were going
to engage. The Cheif Gunnersmate, didn't want to engage, probably
because he was Dutch, and the Captain killed the sailor.
A
few weeks later in December they captured the Dutch ship Rouparelle.
She was flying the French flag and had a French letter of Marque.
Captain
Kidd changed the Dutch ships name to November. The following month in
January 30, 1698 Captain Kidd was responsible to the largest treasure
haul in the history of piracy.
They
defeated and captured the 350 ton Quedah Merchant, an Armenian ship
leased to the East India Company.
Her
cargo included 1200 muslins, 84 bales of raw silk, iron, 1400 bags of
brown sugar, saltpeter, guns and gold coins.
Before
Captain Kidd boarded the Quedah Merchant the French sailor at the
helm of the tender stated “Here is a good prize”!
The
capture of the Quedagh Merchant and the Rouparelle caused scandal
throughout the British Empire. Captain Kidd was proclaimed not a
pirate hunter, but a pirate!
Captain
Kidd embarassed the British Crown because he ruined England's
reputation for safty at sea. Merchants were becoming afraid to ship
with the East Indian Compay. Shipping along the African and Indian
coasts was dramatically affected.
The
East Indian Company had other problems other than Captain Kidd, but
all of the piracy was putting the company in dire straits.
The
East Indian Company was forced to deal with having all European
interests expelled from India. The East Indian Company fully
reimbursed the merchants for the losses of the Quedah Merchant,
agreed to the King of India's demands to send armed patrols to the
South Indian Sea, and paid many bribes along the way.
Captain
Kidd now had three ship's. The Quedah Merchants name was changed to
the Aventure Prize. The Rouparelle name was changed to November and
Adventure Galley was the Flag ship.
The
ships were split up and were to rendevous in Madagascar at St. Mary's
Island. It was six weeks until all the ships were together at St.
Mary's.
Captain
Kidd was on the Adventure Merchant, which was exchanging some cargo
for L10,000 of gold and provisions, for the three ship's.
These
ship's were about to make a very long journey. Captain Kidd arrived
at St. Mary's first and waited for the rest of his fleet to catch up
with him.
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