DATELINE :- 6th March 2000

Only Kidding

Indian Ocean wreck could be Captain Kidd's ship
US wreck-hunter Barry Clifford thinks he might have found the wreck of the Adventure, commanded by the British pirate Captain Kidd.
Historical record has it that Kidd set fire to and abandoned the vessel off Madagascar in 1698, before taking over another vessel. The Adventure was half-sailing ship, half-galley, with sails and oars allowing her to overhaul merchant ships with ease in light conditions.
The site found by Clifford lies only 40m out from the small isle of Sainte Marie, used as a base by Kidd. The wreck lies in just 7m of water and items already recovered include burnt wood, rum bottles and shards of Ming porcelain dating to Kidd's time. The team returns to the island soon to continue excavation.
Kidd's was a colourful life. Originally a British privateer plundering the French off the West Indies and North America, he married and settled in New York as a wealthy man, before tiring of domestic life.
New York's governor gave him a vessel to hunt down pirates attacking American traders in the Indian Ocean, but Kidd turned brigand to sail for himself under the Jolly Roger. He terrorised the seas between 1696 and 1698 before being captured on a visit to Boston.
He was returned to London, tried and executed in 1701.

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