Valentim Fernandes manuscript

The text was studied by the German Conrad Peutinger or the Portuguese Damião de Góis during the 16th century.

Its information on naval commerce between Tunis and Timbuktu and the Gambia helped inspire exploration of the West African coast.

Gomes contacted discovered peoples, engaging them in diplomatic relations and commerce while evangelizing the Christian faith.

They did business in Kukia (the upper source of the Niger River), the center of the West African gold trade.

Another African voyage that was known in 1462, came two years after the death of Henry the Navigator (some sources state that he died in 1460), when the island of Cape Verde was rediscovered.

The original Latin was published by Johann Andreas Schmeller titled Uber Valentim Fernandez Alembico in Abhandlungen den philosoph.-philolog Kl.