These early proceedings of Kidd effectually dispose of the plea that his intentions were at first honest, and that he only yielded to the coercion of his crew in taking to piracy, after reaching the Indian seas.

The truth is that Kidd was resolved on piracy from the first, and had little difficulty in persuading the majority of the crew to join him.

It can hardly be doubted that the accounts of the great wealth acquired by Every had turned his head.

There were a number of men on board the _Adventure_ who were unwillingly coerced into piracy, and who remained in a chronic state of discontent, but Kidd was not one of them.

Long before he had made a single capture, it was reported in the ports of Western India that Kidd was a pirate.
From Johanna he shaped his coarse for Madagascar, but the pirates were all away in search of prey; so he continued his cruise in the Mozambique Channel and along the African coast.