een attached by the Council. In Surat he tried to raise a
large sum for a venture in the China trade; but the arbitrary conduct of
the King's officers had raised so much distrust among the native merchants,
that he was unsuccessful. Within three weeks he was back again in Bombay,
and was at once involved in an angry correspondence with the Council. Not
confining himself to an acrimonious exchange of letters, he affixed at the
sea gate an insulting proclamation. Phipps ordered it to be removed, on
which Matthews wrote that, if it were not at once replaced, he would
publish it by beat of drum through Bombay, and, should any resistance be
offered, he would not leave a house standing in the place. In this dilemma
the Council consented to replace it, but, to save their dignity, added a
notice that it was licensed by the Secretary. It is difficult to see how
this improved the matter. However, Matthews sailed the next day for
Madagascar, so no doubt the proclamation did not long remain after his
departure.

His absence from Bombay, though doubtless felt as a relief by Phipps and
the Council, was probably, before long, a cause of regret in the troubles
that shortly beset them: but for the moment we will follow his movements.
Not contented with his quarrels with the Council, Matthews was soon at
daggers drawn with his own captains. First he proposed to them to employ
their ships in trading, on condition that two-thirds of the profits were
to be his. The captains refused to have anything to do with the proposal.
He had already had a quarrel with Cockburn, his second in command, the
first of many that were to follow. Before leaving Bombay, a quarrel arose
between him and Sir Robert Johnson, of the _Exeter_. Johnson threw up his
command, and took passage for England in one of the Company's ships, which
was lost with all hands on the voyage. With Sir Robert Johnson, his son, a
lieutenant in the navy, perished. Brathwaite was appointed to the command
of the _Exeter_. It had already come to be widely known that anybody who
was in trouble with the Company would find countenance and protection from
Matthews. He told the Portuguese officials that the Company's vessels were
only traders, and therefore not entitled to a salute, gun for gun. This
matter of salutes was a very important one in Matthews' eyes. Every
trading ship, however small it might be, carried guns, and there was a
great deal of saluting. In acknowledging such salutes Matthe