In spite of his notions as to piracy, John Plantain showed himself an honester man than Matthews.

Having paid liberally for the things he had bought, he left the hogsheads of wine and arrack on the beach under a small guard.

As soon as his back was turned, Matthews manned his boats, brought off all the liquor he had been paid for, and some of the native guard as well.

After which notable achievement he sailed away for Bengal, consoling himself with the thought that he was not like one of "those vile pirates, who, after committing many evil actions, had settled down among a parcel of heathens to indulge themselves in all sorts of vice."[5] After a fortnight at Charnock's Point, the squadron made its way round the north of Madagascar to Manigaro (Manankara) Bay, whence they steered for Johanna.

As the Directors afterwards remarked, Matthews ought to have divided his squadron, and searched both coasts of the great island; but his heart was not in the quest for pirates; he was bent only on trade.
Sending the _Salisbury_ and _Exeter_ to cruise towards Socotra, he took the _Lyon_ and _Shoreham_ to Bengal, and, in the beginning of August, he was at anchor in the Hoogly, near Diamond Harbour.