It was long before the French could be persuaded to give up the hope of establishing themselves somewhere in _Brazil_. They made the _Paraïba_ their favourite port of trade, where they allied themselves with some savage neighbouring tribes, and caused such trouble to the Portuguese that they themselves resolved to establish fortified settlements on the above-named river. The governor of _San Salvador_ deputed this task to Flores de Valdes, who had been sent by Philip II. of Spain, with a fleet of twenty-three vessels, to secure the Straits of _Magellan_ when Drake had alarmed him for the safety of his possessions on the Pacific. Valdes had been foiled in his attempts to reach the Straits, and had been driven back to _Bahia_ with only six ships. With these and two others he sailed to _Pernambuco_. There were four French vessels in the _Paraïba_. The French themselves, however, set fire to them, and then joined the savages on shore. The Spanish and Portuguese troops landed without opposition and constructed a fortress; but its commander could not long maintain it against the _Pitagoares_, and made a hasty retreat to _Itamaraca_. It was, however, again recovered by means of a fresh reinforcement from _Pernambuco_. The name of England is at this period for the first time brought into prominent notice in connection with _Brazil_, which, being a colony of a country now under the Spanish crown, was subject to the warlike operations of the enemies of Spain. In 1582 an English expedition, destined for the East, and commanded by Admiral Fenton, reached the coast of _Brazil_ and anchored off _San Vicente_, where an English vessel had previously come to trade. Indeed a trade had some time since sprung up between Plymouth and Southern _Brazil_, the first merchant navigator mentioned being the father of Sir John Hawkins, who made two voyages, in 1530 and 1532, respectively. The expedition under Fenton merely called for peaceful objects, and did not commit any act of hostility; but the proceedings of Drake had already drawn down the hatred of all Spaniards on his countrymen; and Flores, having been informed of the presence of English vessels at _San Vicente_, made for that place and prepared to attack them. The action began in the evening and was fought by moonlight. One of the Spanish ships was sunk, and in the course of the following day the English vessels put to sea. It is recorded to the credit of their humane commander that he refrained from sinking another of the Spanish vessels, not wishing to cause a needless loss of life. [Sidenote: 1586.]