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 Joanna. 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 Moca 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 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. Kid 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 Kid, 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; the vessel was Moorish, and the owners were
Moorish merchants, but the master was an Englishman; his name was
Parker. Kid forced him and