Littleton quarrelled with Sir Nicholas Waite, and had questionable dealings with the Madagascar pirates.

Richards and Harland quarrelled with Sir John Gayer, and crippled the Company's ships by forcibly pressing their sailors to fill up their own crews; while Matthews exceeded them all in outrageous behaviour, as will be recounted in its place.
After capturing the _Quedah Merchant_, Kidd shaped his course for Madagascar, where he found Culliford in the _Resolution_, who at first treated him with suspicion, hearing that he had a commission to capture pirates.

But Kidd soon reassured him over sundry cups of bombo, protesting with many oaths that 'his soul should fry in hell' sooner than that he should hurt a hair of one of Culliford's crew; and, as a proof of good will, presented him with two guns and an anchor.

Then, finding the _Adventure_ had become unseaworthy, he abandoned her, and sailed for New England in the _Quedah Merchant_.

In June, 1799, he reached Boston.
Before his arrival, he heard he had been proclaimed a pirate, so he deputed a friend to approach Lord Bellamont on his behalf.