It happen'd that at this Time the Pyrate Ships were most of them out in search of Prey; so that according to the best Intelligence Captain _Kid_ could get, there was not one of them at that Time about the Island, wherefore having spent some Time in watering his Ship, and taking in more Provisions, he thought of trying his Fortune on the Coast of _Malabar_, where he arrived in the Month of _June_ following, four Months from his reaching _Madagascar_. Hereabouts he made an unsuccessful Cruize, touching sometimes at the Island of _Mahala_, sometimes at that of _Joanna_, betwixt _Malabar_ and _Madagascar_: His Provisions were every Day wasting, and his Ship began to want Repair; wherefore, when he was at _Joanna_, he found Means of borrowing a Sum of Money from some _French_ Men who had lost their Ship, but saved their Effects, and with this he purchas'd Materials for putting his Ship in good Repair. It does not appear all this while that he had the least Design of turning Pyrate; for near _Mahala_ and _Joanna_ both, he met with several _Indian_ Ships richly laden, to which he did not offer the least Violence, tho' he was strong enough to have done what he pleas'd with them; and the first Outrage or Depredation I find he committed upon Mankind, was after his repairing his Ship, and leaving _Joanna_; he touch'd at a Place call'd _Mabbee_, upon the _Red Sea_, where he took some _Guinnea_ Corn from the Natives, by Force. After this he sail'd 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 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. 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 Pyrates; but now, weary of ill Success, and fearing least his Owners, out of Humour at their great Expences, should dismiss him, and he should want Employment, and be mark'd 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.