I do not think one needs to look for evidence of piracy in the Indian Ocean during the time Mark Twain wrote HF. I think the use of the Indian Ocean in the King's story at the Pokeville camp meeting is a nod and a wink to the notorious pirate Captain Kidd who was associated with the Indian Ocean and a story with which readers of HF were likely familiar. Twain mentions Captain "Kydd" in several other works indicating he was familiar with the pirate's biography. He was also likely familiar with the legend of Kidd's buried gold treasure somewhere in the Connecticut River. Barb