the preceding narratives, had kept a rendezvous for pirates at St.
Mary's Island, but he had now settled down as a respectable citizen of
New York. Bellomont thought well of him at first (he "appears to be a
sober man and reported wealthy"), but was warned by the Board of Trade
of his connection with piracy, and later (note 19, _post_) had fuller
information from Kidd. _Ibid._, IV. 333, 552.]

1. July the 17th 1690. I, Adam Baldridge, arrived at the Island of St.
Maries in the ship _fortune_, Richard Conyers Commander, and on the
7th of January 1690/1 I left the ship, being minded to settle among
the Negros at St. Maries with two men more, but the ship went to Port
Dolphin[2] and was Cast away, April the 15th 1691, and halfe the men
drownded and halfe saved their lives and got a shore, but I continued
with the Negros at St. Maries and went to War with them. before my
goeing to War one of the men dyed that went a shore with me, and the
other being discouraged went on board againe and none continued with
me but my Prentice John King. March the 9th they sailed for Bonnovolo
on Madagascar, 16 Leagues from St. Maries, where they stopt to take in
Rice. after I went to war six men more left the Ship, whereof two of
them dyed about three weeks after they went ashore and the rest dyed
since. In May 91 I returned from War and brought 70 head of Cattel and
some slaves. then I had a house built and settled upon St. Maries,
where great store of Negros resorted to me from the Island Madagascar
and settled the Island St. Maries, where I lived quietly with them,
helping them to redeem their Wives and Children that were taken before
my coming to St. Maries by other Negros to the northward of us about
60 Leagues.

[Footnote 2: Fort Dauphin, at the southeast point of Madagascar, built
by the French.]

2. October 13, 1691. Arrived the _Batchelors delight_, Captain Georg
Raynor[3] Commander, Burden 180 Tons or there abouts, 14 Guns, 70 or
80 men, that had made a voyage into the Red Seas and taken a ship
belonging to the Moors, as the men did report, where they took as much
money as made the whole share run about 1100 l. a man. they Careened
at St. Maries, and while they Careened I supplyed them with Cattel for
their present spending and they gave me for my Cattel a quantity of
Beads, five great Guns for a fortification, some powder and shott, and
six Barrells of flower, about 70 barrs of Iron. the ship belonged to
Jamaica and set saile f