would soon be leaving the Indian seas. But the Viceroy had had enough
fighting. The capture of his grabs had brought him to reason. He laid all
the blame for recent hostilities on the General of the North, and a
peaceful accommodation was come to with the Council, Matthews being
disregarded.

In spite of Matthews' failure to destroy the Madagascar pirates, the
presence of his squadron in Indian waters impelled them to seek safety in
the West Indies, and henceforward they ceased to be dangerous to the
trade-ships of India. The Madagascar settlements lingered on till they
died a natural death. Angria, too, had been tamed by the slaying of his
commodore and the capture of his ships. For years the sea-borne trade of
Bombay had not been so little subject to molestation as it was for the
next three or four years.


Matthews had sent home two of his ships, remaining, himself, to do another
year's trading, during which he lost no opportunity of worrying and
insulting the Company's officers. Everybody at variance with the Council
found an advocate in him. A Parsee broker, named Bomanjee, was under
arrest for fraud; Matthews demanded his surrender. The Council placed
Bomanjee in close confinement in the fort, to prevent his being carried
off. Matthews promised Bomanjee's sons he would take one of them to
England, and undertook to make the Directors see things in a proper light.
Men charged with abominable crimes received countenance from him. He told
the Council that they were only traders, and had no power to punish
anybody. The Crown alone had power to punish. He (Matthews) represented
the Crown, and was answerable only to the King of England. One may picture
to one's self the satisfaction with which, at the end of the year, the
Council learned that Matthews was really going.