Lourenço de Elvas

Portuguese navigator from the 15th century. In 1446, under the command of Estevao Afonso, he left Lagos in a nine-caravel fleet headed to the Portuguese Guinea. Following the orders of Infante Dom Henrique, they went by the island of Madeira to collect their edible offals and were joined by two ships, one belonging to Tristao da Ilha and another captained by Garcia Homem. Together, they continued to La Gomera, in the Canary Islands, and then to La Palma, where they unsuccessfully tried to "gather captives". Tristao da Ilha's ship and the ones under the command of Garcia Homem and Gil Eanes returned to the kingdom while the others continued their journey until 60 leagues beyond Cap-Vert, where they found " a very big river" (Rio Grande or Geba River), from where they explored inland in another unsuccessful attempt to capture some slaves. After, they headed for the island of Arguin to collect water and, then, set sail for Cape Ransom where they captured 48 individuals. As the journey's economical viability was guaranteed, the captains returned to the kingdom, except for Estevao Afonso.

Bibliography:
ZURARA, Gomes Eanes de, Crónica dos feitos notáveis que se passaram na conquista de Guiné por mandado do infante D. Henrique, 2 vols., Lisboa, Academia Portuguesa de História, 1973-1981.

Translated by: Marília Pavão