ear all this while that he had the least design of
turning pirate; for near Mohila and Johanna both, he met with several
Indian ships richly laden, to which he did not offer the least violence,
though he was strong enough to have done what he pleased with them; and
the first outrage or depredation I find he committed upon mankind, was
after his repairing his ship, and leaving Johanna; he touched at a place
called Mabbee, upon the Red Sea, where he took some Guinea corn from the
natives, by force. After this, he sailed to Bab's Key, a place upon a
little island at the entrance of the Red Sea. Here it was that he first
began to open himself to his ship's company, and let them understand
that he intended to change his measures; for, happening to talk of the
Mocha fleet, which was to sail that way, he said, "_We have been
unsuccessful hitherto; but courage, my boys, we'll make our fortunes out
of this fleet_"; and finding that none of them appeared averse to it, he
ordered a boat out, well manned, to go upon the coast to make
discoveries, commanding them to take a prisoner and bring him to him, or
get intelligence any way they could. The boat returned in a few days,
bringing him word, that they saw fourteen or fifteen ships ready to
sail, some with English, some with Dutch, and some with Moorish colors.

We cannot account for this sudden change in his conduct, otherwise than
by supposing that he first meant well, while he had hopes of making his
fortune by taking of pirates; but now weary of ill success, and fearing
lest his owners, out of humor at their great expenses, should dismiss
him, and he should want employment, and be marked out for an unlucky
man; rather, I say, than run the hazard of poverty, he resolved to do
his business one way, since he could not do it another.

He therefore ordered a man continually to watch at the mast head, lest
this fleet should go by them; and about four days after, towards
evening, it appeared in sight, being convoyed by one English and one
Dutch man of war. Kidd soon fell in with them, and getting into the
midst of them, fired at a Moorish ship which was next him; but the
men-of-war taking the alarm, bore down upon Kidd, and firing upon him,
obliged him to sheer off, he not being strong enough to contend with
them. Now he had begun hostilities, he resolved to go on, and therefore
he went and cruised along the coast of Malabar. The first prize he met
was a small vessel belonging to Aden