and slavery. In 1637 Johan Maurits dispatched a force under Colonel Hans Coen against São Jorge. Thus Dutch Brazil was able to re-establish a supply of African slaves, a key to increasing sugar production in Pernambuco. After a campaign against Sergipe, to the South, prompted by guerilla raids (sent by Baguoli) across the São Francisco River and an invitation by the Tapuya tribes to occupy Ceará, to the North, Maurits was urged to attack Bahia. This unsuccessful campaign was undertaken in 1638. Despite some initial successes, the Dutch found that their forces were outnumbered by the defender and ultimately Maurits withdrew. Maurits described Bahia as "a cat not to be taken without gloves" In 1638, the Hapsburg crown at long last was able to send an armada to help expel the Dutch from Brazil's Northeast. Both sides in this struggle suffered from logistic problems, both finding it difficult to mount forces and to feed and supply their forces. The commander of the Spanish armada was Dom Fernão de Mascarenhas, conde da Torre. The armada sailed with forty-six ships and 5,000 soldiers. En route the armada lost 3,000 men to disease. When on January 10, 1639, the fleet hove because Recife's concern was high in Pernambuco. However, instead of landing, the Conde da Torre decided to sail on to Bahia intent on recruiting replacements for his much-reduced landing forces. In the meantime, the Dutch had reinforced Pernambuco with 1200 men. After a ten-month stay in Bahia, the Conde da Torre again sailed for Recife. Due to adverse winds and currents, his forces overshot Recife eventually engaging with the Dutch fleet off Itamaracá. The fleet engagement was not decisive, but after the inconclusive fighting broke off, the currents prevented the Spanish fleet of heavier ships from sailing back to Pernambuco. With rations again short, the land forces, under Luis Barbalho, were put ashore to march back overland to Bahia having to pass through Pernambuco and Dutch territory all the way. That much of this force made it back to Bahia was largely a function of support from the Portuguese colonists still resident in Pernambuco. During the preceding struggles, the Portuguese decided not to give quarter to any of their Dutch opponents. This decision was put in writing and when the Dutch took a Portuguese ship as a prize, the instruction was discovered. Later when Luis Barbalho wrote Johan Maurits for quarter for