Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-03-26
CAPTAIN KIDD.
BY DR.. S COMPTON SMITH.

In the year 1906, Robert l. Livingston,
the ancestor of the present Livingstons of
New York, being in England on some affairs
connected with the colonies, CHANGED to
make the acquaintance of Lord BeIlamont,
Just then appointed as Governor of Massa-
chusetts Bay and New Hampshire. In con
versation upon the subject Of the American
provinces, bis lordship, among other mat
tiers, referred to the acts Os the buccaneers,
which at that time were common IN our
waters, particularly in Massachusetts Bav,
Long Island Sound, and along the Atlantic
coast as far south as Chesapeake Bay
These facts were admitted by Mr.. Livines-
GREETING the scandal which attached to the
provinces in consequence of :hem.
After various conversations upon the
subject, MI. Livingston at length suggested
the policy Of sending an armed vessel ia
command of a suitable person. 20 rid the
waters Of these obnoxious cruisers, and
introduced Scotchman, and fellow coun-
tryman, Captain Robert Kidd, as Just the
man for that business. This man Mr.. L
recommended as "a man of integrity and
courage, well acquainted with the pirates
and their rendezvous and who would un
dertake to appreheDd them, if the King
would employ good sailing frigate of
thirty guns, and one hundred and fifty
men"
This proposition was laid before the King
who called the attention of the admiralty
to the subject. But tie latter, from some
cause, did rot give j; much thought, and
referred the matter to the Governor elect
1t was now proposed by Bellamont and
Livingston to embark in the adventure, and
make a joint stock speculation out Of it
The latter offered to become concerned with
King, to the amount of one fifth of the cost
Of the outfit, and TO be himself personally
responsible for the good conduct of his
friend. and his faithful execution of the
commission assigned him. Bellamnnt also
took shares, and not only King William
approved the plan, but to encourage it,
reserved to himself tenth share in the
enterprise. The Lord Chancellor and other
prominent persons joined in the scheme,
which promised rich return in the spoils
of the buccaneers, and the sum of six thous.
and pounds WAS Immediately subscribed
and paid over into the hands of Lord Bel
| lamont, who WAS to make out Kidds COM
mission, and superintend the fitting out of
| the vessel.
At length, everything being completed
Kidd, with the Adventure Galley, :" sailed
in the month Of April, 1886, from Plymouth
for New York. his vessel carrying thirty
guns and eighty men.
| At this period King William was at war
with France, and Kidd was commissioned
not only to destroy the freebooters, but to
| take any French merchantmen he might
fall in with.
| As an earnest of what his EMPLOYERS
might expect Of him, he captured on bis
voyage French Banker )" which he car
ried into New York, where she was legal,
condemned, and sold for the benefit Of thu
company.
In New York, the crew of the adyentur,
Galley, numbering one hundred and fifty
men, was completed. Each man was L
share at certain rate in the proceeds o.
the cruise.
Kidd first proceeded to Madeira, where
he took in q supply of WINE and othel
stores, from whence he sailed TO Buena
Vista, on the island Of Teneriffe. for salt
and then directed bis course to Madagascar
which was known to be the rendezvous O
pirates. He arrived off the coast of tina
island on the 10th Of February, 1897.
Although kidd's ostensible object. a
FIRST was the breaking mp OF the buecaueer
on the American coast, it was aiterward
determined by bis employers to cruise il
those seas which held out the creates
promise of gain. Indeed it was a soecuIa
tive rather than, philanihropic object thl
stockholders had in view.
The Madagascar pirates were most o
them absent in search of prey on the arriva
of Kidd and finding nothing worth taking
but few provisions, and baving watered
be sailed for the coast Of Malabar.
After several months cruising in thos,
waters, during which time the Adventur,
Galley had not taken prize Of any value
Kidd discovered that his men were recon-
ing dissatisfied, and signs of mutiny begar
to be observed, and he himself began to b,
apprehensive that, discouraged by his wan
of success, his owners would dismiss hin
from his command.
One day, when running down the coas
to the southwark of Goa, the crew became
SO turbulent at their continued i'll luck
that Kidd, as he himself asserted On hi
subsequent trial, called them about him
and proposed that if they would remain
! obedieDt TO his orders, be would, in a few
days, lead them to better fortune. He tner
informed them that he was daily expecting
to fall in with the Macha feet, when ht
expected to take rich prize from among
them, and if they were disposed 20 adopI