How Antam Gonçalvez and Gomez Pirez and Diego Affonso went to the Rio
d'Ouro.
In that year the Infant bade Antam Gonçalvez, that noble knight of whom
we have already spoken, to sail in one caravel and Gomez Pirez, master
of the Royal Galley in another: and this man went by command of the
Infant Don Pedro, who at that time governed the kingdom in the name of
the King. And at the same time there was another caravel with them, in
which sailed one Diego Affonso, a servant of the Infant Don Henry: and
all these commanders went jointly to see if they could bring the Moors
of that part to treat of merchandise.
And they had much talk with them and obtained great sureties by means of
the Moors whom the Infant sent there to see if with the aforesaid
pretence they could guide them into the way of salvation. But they were
not able to accomplish aught or do business with them, except in the
matter of one negro.
And so they turned back without achieving any more; except that they
brought with them one old Moor, who of his own free will wished to come
and see the Infant, from whom he received great rewards, according to
his quality, and who afterward sent him back to his own country. But I
am not so much surprised at the coming of this man as of a squire who
went with Antam Gonçalvez, called John Fernandez; who of his own free
will decided to stay in that land of Guinea, only to see the country and
bring the news of it to the Infant when he should chance to return. But
of the travels of this squire and of his excellent qualities I leave the
account to another place.