William Kidd: Encyclopedia II - William Kidd - Turning pirate

William Kidd - Turning pirate

Finally, under pressure from his men, and perhaps in shock over what he had done, Kidd finally made the fatal decision of turning pirate. He started taking any vessels which were not English; Dutch, Moorish, Indian, Portuguese, French; no one was safe from the onslaught. As the voyage progressed Kidd’s actions became increasingly more like those of a pirate than an agent of the English King. Acts of savagery on Kidd’s part were reported by escaped prisoners, who told of being hoisted up by the arms and drubbed with a naked cutlass.

On January 30, 1698 he raised French colors and took his greatest prize, an Armenian beast of a ship, the 400 tons Quedagh Merchant, which was loaded with satins, muslins, gold, silver, an incredible variety of East Indian merchandise, as well as extremely valuable silks. The captain of the Quedagh Merchant was an Englishman named Wright, who was sailing under the promised protection of the French government. However, after realizing the captain of the taken vessel was an Englishman, Kidd tried to persuade his crew to return the ship to its owners but they refused. Thus, Kidd changed his focus and took his prize claiming it was legal prey for an English privateer. Unfortunately, when news of the deed reached England, along with horrifying tales of torture, the British East India Company declared Kidd a pirate. Various naval commanders were ordered to “pursue and seize the said Kidd and his accomplices” for the “notorious piracies” ^[3] they had committed.

On April 1, 1698 Kidd reached Madagascar. Here Kidd found the first pirate of his voyage, Robert Culliford, (the same man who had stolen Kidd’s ship years before) and his crew sailing the Mocha Frigate. Kidd ordered his men to capture the Mocha Frigate. Instead his men mutinied and joined the pirates of the Mocha Frigate. Only 13 of Kidd’s men remained loyal to him.

Deciding to return home, Kidd left the Adventure Galley behind ordering her to be burnt because she had become worm-eaten and leaky. By burning the ship, he was able to salvage every last scrap of metal, for example hinges. With the loyal remnant of his crew, he returned home in the captured Quedagh Merchant, renamed Adventure Prize.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Turning pirate", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki