Adverse winds slowed his advance to Cartagena, and he was only halfway there when the homeward bound French fleet was sighted on 27 May. Nevell immediately gave chase, but had difficulty closing with his opponents, who had nothing to gain from a naval encounter. The pursuit continued for five days, but failed to bring the French to battle, the only real success being when a Spanish prize was cut off and captured by "Princess Ann" and "Hollandia". It was conveyed to Jamaica and found to contain plate, gunpowder and slaves worth a total of £200,000 (). On another occasion the got close enough to capture a flyboat. Unfortunately, the captured vessel was serving as a hospital ship, carrying yellow fever which was already ravaging the French fleet and began to spread through the Anglo-Dutch.