When they overtook the rearmost of the ships Brown had still got with him, they backed their sails and fired into them till they had got well ahead again.  In this ignominious fashion the greater part of the fleet was shuffled along for two days by the pirates, as a flock of sheep is driven by a couple of sheep-dogs, till they at last found refuge in Goa.  The soldiers on board the London improved the occasion by breaking into the ‘Lazaretto’ and getting drunk on the wine they found there.  Part of the fleet made for Carwar, and others found safety under the guns of Anjediva.  The pirates, having effected their purpose of driving them off, turned south and took the Elizabeth at anchor off Honore.

Before long, an indignant letter from Boone ordered Brown to cruise southward and engage the pirates at all hazards; so the unhappy Brown put to sea again.  The news of the capture of the Elizabeth was enough for him:  on the third day he turned northward again and made for Bombay; to make his peace with the exasperated Governor as he best could.  It is not difficult to imagine Boone’s disgust at the failure of his schemes, and the worthlessness of those he had to depend upon; but it must be admitted that these desultory attacks, first on one place and then on another, were not calculated to effect anything useful.  Had he concentrated his efforts on Kennery, he might have rendered the waters of Bombay more secure.

Brown laid the blame of his failure on the disobedience of his officers, which had been so flagrant as to conceal his own incapacity; so, on the 12th December, Boone again despatched him to search for the pirates, and give protection to the country vessels bringing up pepper from the southern factories.  He took with him a fine squadron:  the Greenwich, 42 guns; the Chandos, 40 guns; the Victory, 26 guns; the Britannia, 24 guns; the Revenge, 16 guns; and a fireship.  The pusillanimous Upton was left behind, and, next to himself in command of the expedition, but in reality the moving spirit, he took the gallant Macrae.  England and Taylor had meanwhile been constrained to run down to the Laccadives, for want of water and provisions.  Not getting what they wanted, they had come northward again to Cochin, where they were royally entertained by the Dutch authorities.  They were supplied with everything they required, including a present, from the Governor, of a boat loaded with arrack, and sixty bales of sugar, for all of which handsome payment was made, while handfuls of duccatoons were thrown into the boat for the boatmen to scramble for.  A fine clock and gold watch, found in the Cassandra when captured, were sent as a present to the Governor’s daughter, and formal salutes were fired on both sides as they entered and left the harbour.  No wonder that they were made welcome along the coast.  On leaving Cochin, they took a small vessel from Tellicherry sailing under a Bombay pass.  From the master