evolution and the War of 1812, England confiscated many
American merchant vessels in the West Indies under pretexts not a whit
more convincing than Kidd's excuse for snapping up the _Quedah
Merchant_.

What Kidd himself had to say about this affair is told in his narrative
of the voyage as he related it during his preliminary examination while
under arrest in Boston. It runs as follows:

A Narrative of the Voyage of Capt. William Kidd, Commander of the
_Adventure Galley_, from London to the East Indies.

That the Journal of the said Capt. Kidd being violently taken from him
in the Port of St. Maries in Madagascar; and his life many times being
threatened to be taken away from him by 97 of his men that deserted him
there, he cannot give that exact Account he otherwise would have done,
but as far as his memory will serve, it is as follows, Vizt:

That the said _Adventure Galley_ was launched in Castles Yard at
Deptford about the 4th. day of December, 1695, and about the latter end
of February the said Galley came to ye buoy in the Nore, and about the
first day of March following, his men were pressed from him for the
Fleet which caused him to stay there about 19 days, and then sailed for
the Downs and arrived there about the 8th or 10th day of April 1696,
and sailed thence to Plymouth and on the 23rd. day of the said month of
April he sailed from Plymouth on his intended Voyage. And some time in
the month of May met with a small French Vessel with Salt and Fishing
tackle on board, bound for Newfoundland, which he took and made prize
of and carried the same into New York about the 4th day of July where
she was condemned as lawful prize, and the produce whereof purchased
Provisions for the said Galley for her further intended Voyage.

That about the 6th. day of September, 1696, the said Capt. Kidd sailed
for the Madeiras in company with one Joyner, Master of a Brigantine
belonging to Bermuda, and arrived there about the 8th. day of October
following, and thence to Bonavista where they arrived about the 19th.
of the said month and took in some Salt and stay'd three or four days
and sailed thence to St. Jago and arrived there the 24th, of the said
month, where he took in some water and stay'd about 8 or 9 days, and
thence sailed for the Cape of Good Hope and in the Latitude of 32, on
the 12th day of December, 1696, met with four English men of war
whereof Capt. Warren was Commodore and sailed a week in their company,