n on the
Atlantic was vastly increasing and the future foreshadowed conflicts of
the interests of Spain and Holland on the one, and Spain and England on
the other side. The Cuban authorities, wrought up and kept in a
perpetual state of tension by their experiences with the buccaneers, had
become morbidly susceptible to danger of any kind. The appearance of a
foreign ship in the neighborhood of Cuban waters sufficed to fill them
with the gravest apprehension, lest the stranger might harbor hostile
designs.

These apprehensions were justified, for the Dutch soon resumed their
operations against Cuba. It was reported that Maurice of Nassau himself
had set out with a powerful squadron, though no historian has any record
of it. But in July, 1638, Cornelius Fels, who was by the Spaniards
called Pie de Palo, appeared in the Bahama Channel, and from that point
sailed for Havana at the head of a fleet of some twenty Dutch vessels
enforced by some filibusters. Pie de Palo took his post at a convenient
place to intercept any message sent by Governor Riano to Mexico or Peru.
Near the coast of Cabanas the fleet of the Spaniards, commanded by D.
Carlos Ibarra and composed of seven badly armed galleons and hookers,
came across the Dutch. Ibarra formed a battle line extending his vessels
so as to flank the enemy. Pie de Palo with six of his galleons bravely
attacked the Spanish ships _Capitana_ and _Almirante_, being under the
impression that they carried a great quantity of coined money and bars
of gold and silver.

Relying on the experience and the valor of Ibarra and Pedro de Ursua,
who commanded the two vessels so proudly attacked by Pie de Palo, the
captains Sancho Urdambra, Jacinto Molendez, the Marquis de Cordenosa,
Pablo Contreras and Juan de Campos endeavored in the mean time to check
the other galleons of the enemy. The unequal combat between Ibarra and
Ursua and the Dutch vessels lasted eight hours and the brave Spanish
sailors issued from it as victors. Pie de Palo was seriously wounded,
more than four hundred Dutchmen were killed and three of their vessels
were destroyed. The enemy fled, pursued by Ibarra, who returned to Vera
Cruz after saving the honor of the Spanish flag and the riches the fleet
had carried. They sang a Te Deum in Mexico as thanksgiving for the
victory and King Philip IV. rewarded Ibarra and his men by rich gifts.
The success of this expedition awakened in Havana the old spirit of
adventure and milita