s; 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 appear'd averse to it, he
order'd a boat out, well mann'd, 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 return'd 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_
Colours. He therefore order'd a man continually to watch at the
mast-head, least this Fleet should go by them; and about four days
after, towards evening, it appear'd in sight, being convoy'd by one
_English_ and one _Dutch_ Man-of-War. _Kid_ soon fell in with them,
and getting into the midst of them, fir'd 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
resolv'd to go on, and therefore he went and cruis'd 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_ forc'd him and a _Portugueze_ that was call'd _Don Antonio_,
which were all the _Europeans_ on Board, to take on with them; the
first he design'd as a pilot, and the last as an interpreter. He also
used the men very cruelly, causing them to be hoisted up by the arms,
and drubb'd with a naked cutlass, to force them to discover whether
they had money on board, and where it lay; but as they had neither
gold nor silver on board, he got nothing by his cruelty; however, he
took from them a bale of pepper, and a bale of coffee, and so let them
go.

Soon after this he came up with a _Moorish_ Ship, the Master whereof
was a _Dutchman_, call'd _Schipper Mitchel_, and chased her under
_French_ Colours, which they observing, hoisted _French_ Colours too:
When he came up with her, he hail'd her in _French_, and they having a
_Frenchman_ on board, answer'd him in the same language; upon which he
order'd them to send their boat on board; they were oblig'd to do so,
and having examin'd who they were, and from whence they came; he ask'd
the _Frenchman_, who was a pas