Notwithstanding his repulse, Count Nassau did not abandon the hope of taking _San Salvador_ at a more convenient season, and with this object he now reiterated his request to the Company for reinforcements. That body, after much deliberation, now resolved to throw open the trade with _Brazil_, which had hitherto been their monopoly. Nassau, whose opinion was asked, gave his advice in favour of this measure. He urged that the only hope of creating a successful colony was by offering inducements to Dutchmen to emigrate to _Brazil_, and that, were the trade not thrown open, such inducements could not exist. His word carried the day; and the monopoly of the Company was for the future confined to the traffic in slaves, in implements of war, and in Brazilian woods. The remembrance of the capture of the Mexican fleet by Heyne now induced the Company to send out a large squadron, under the experienced Jol, to attempt a similar feat. The old captain set out from _Recife_ in great hopes, which were, however, doomed soon to disappointment. He indeed met the Mexican fleet, which he resolutely engaged; but his captains did not support him, and so the Spaniards escaped. This futile attempt, by drawing away men at a moment when Nassau was sorely in want of succours, was the cause of much embarrassment to that general in the execution of his plans. Early in the following year [1639], Artisjoski brought out a small reinforcement; but he himself soon returned to Holland, after having brought some absurd charges against Count Nassau, which were at once refuted. At this period the West India Company were in possession of six provinces in _Brazil_, extending from _Seregipe_ in the south to _Ceará_ in the north. Of these the first had been laid waste, whilst their hold on the last-named was confined to one small fort. Nevertheless the natives were friendly allies of the Dutch. The important captaincy of _Pernambuco_ contained five towns, namely--_Garassú_, _Olinda_, _Recife_, _Bella Pojuca_, and _Serinhaem_; it likewise possessed several considerable villages. Previously to the Dutch invasion there had been one hundred and twenty-one sugar-works, of which thirty-four were now deserted. In _Itamaraca_ fourteen works still survived, of three-and-twenty which had existed before the conquest. _Paraïba_ still possessed eighteen works out of twenty; whilst _Rio Grande_ had one out of two. In the whole Dutch dominion one hundred and twenty survived. The tenths of their produce were leased--in _Pernambuco_ for 148,500 _florins_; in _Itamaraca_ and _Gojana_ for 19,000; and in _Paraïba_ for 54,000. With other items, the whole tenths amounted to 280,900 _florins_.