Nuno Tristão, a knight of the household…

Nuno Tristão, a knight of the household of Henry the Navigator, is in 1441 dispatched by Henry in one of the first prototypes of the lateen-rigged caravel to explore the West African coast beyond Cape Barbas, the furthest point reached by Gonçalves in 1436).

Around Rio de Oro, Tristão met up with the ship of Antão Gonçalves, who had been sent on a separate mission by Henry that same year to hunt monk seals that basked on those shores.

But Gonçalves happened to capture a solitary young camel-driver, the first native encountered by the Portuguese since the expeditions began in the 1420s.

Nuno Tristão, who carried on board one of Henry's Moorish servants to act as an interpreter, interrogated Gonçalves's captive camel-driver.

Tristão and Gonçalves were led by his information to a small Sanhaja Berber fishing camp nearby.

The Portuguese attack the fishermen, taking some ten captives, the first African slaves taken by the Portuguese back to Europe.

Gonçalves returns to Portugal immediately after the slave raid, but Nuno Tristão continues south, reaching as far as Cape Blanc (Cabo Branco), before turning back.