In February, 1721, the squadron sailed from Spithead, with orders to rendezvous at St. Augustine’s Bay.  Soon after leaving the Channel, the Salisbury and Exeter were dismasted in a storm, and were obliged to put into Lisbon to repair damages.  Matthews continued his voyage with the Lyon and the Shoreham to St. Augustine’s Bay.  He found no pirate ships there at the time, and good policy demanded that he should await the Salisbury and the Exeter.  Instead of doing so, he continued his voyage to Bombay, where he arrived on the 27th September.  Before leaving, he entrusted to the natives of St. Augustine’s Bay a letter for Captain Cockburn, of the Salisbury, in which a number of particulars were given of the squadron.  The proceeding was so ill-advised and so well calculated to defeat the object of the squadron’s coming into Indian waters, that it was believed in the squadron that Matthews had done it purposely to put the pirates on their guard.  Whether this was his intention or not, it serves to show the opinion held of him by those under his command.  Soon after Matthews’ departure, Taylor and La Buze reached St. Augustine’s Bay, read the letter, and sailed at once for Fort Dauphin, in the south-eastern end of Madagascar.  The Salisbury and Exeter arrived soon afterwards, and getting no news either of Matthews or the pirates, sailed for Bombay.  These proceedings were not of happy augury for the success of the expedition.  The pirates had information of the squadron being in the Indian seas, and were doubtless kept henceforth informed, from time to time, of its movements through their various sources of intelligence.  Taylor, satisfied with his gains, sailed for the West Indies and surrendered to the Spaniards, who gave him a commission.

Matthews’ first act on dropping anchor, was to force the native vessels in harbour, belonging to Bombay traders, to strike the English colours they were in the habit of displaying, and he next embarked in a squabble with the Governor as to who was to fire the first salute, a matter that was not settled without many messages to and fro.  The officers of the squadron, taking their cue from Matthews, ‘looked as much superior to us,’ Downing tells us, ’as the greatness of their ambition could possibly lead them.  There were daily duels fought by one or other of them, and challenges perpetually sent round the island by the gentlemen of the navy.’  The duels seem mostly to have taken place among the naval officers, who must have been a quarrelsome lot.  On the voyage from England, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Sutherland, ‘son of My Lord Sutherland,’ had quarrelled, and Mitchell, considering himself aggrieved, demanded his discharge on arrival at Bombay, which was granted.  He then sent a challenge to Sutherland, who wounded and disabled him.  But all duels were not so harmless.  A few days afterwards, Sutherland and Dalrymple, ’grandson of Sir David Dalrymple, His Majesty’s Advocate