Heuijerjans.net

My books on the Cape Verde Islands

5b. Andre Alvares de Almada: Brief Treatise on the Rivers of Guina (1594) [Part I - Translated text & Part II - Notes]

"Brief Treatise on the Rivers of Guinea" [incl. Notes] in preparation:

"This is a makeshift version of an edition of Andre Alvares de Almada's Tratado breve dos Rios de Guine do Cabo Verde (c.1595) planned by Avelino Teixeira da Mota but incomplete when he died in 1982. It consists of an English translation of the Portuguese text, and extensive annotation on the Senegambia and Sierra Leone sections of the account. " (P.E.H. Hair)

"Little is known about the life of Andre Alvares de Almada. His father, Cipriano Alvares de Almada, was an energetic commander (capitao) on Santiago Island. Andre was born there, and in 1599 was awarded the Habit of the Order of Christ for valiant services in the defence of the island against the assault of foreign enemy. At an earlier date, in 1581, he had travelled to Portugal and Spain on behalf of the island's inhabitants, in order to seek permission for them to settle in Sierra Leone, a permission which was refused because of the fear that the island would thereafter be totally abandoned. He made a number of voyages to the mainland of Guinea, especially in the 1570s, and he was still alive in 1603. He was twice married, and his descendants married into the leading families of the island. At least one son was well acquainted with the coast and waterways of Guinea, and is on record as claiming to hold the office of Captain of Cacheu." (Teixeira da Mota on Alvares de Almada)

5a. Andre Alvares de Almada: Brief Treatise on the Rivers of Guina (1594) [Part I - Translated text]

"Brief Treatise on the Rivers of Guinea" republished:

"This is a makeshift version of an edition of Andre Alvares de Almada's Tratado breve dos Rios de Guine do Cabo Verde (c.1595) planned by Avelino Teixeira da Mota but incomplete when he died in 1982. It consists of an English translation of the Portuguese text." (P.E.H. Hair)

"Little is known about the life of Andre Alvares de Almada. His father, Cipriano Alvares de Almada, was an energetic commander (capitao) on Santiago Island. Andre was born there, and in 1599 was awarded the Habit of the Order of Christ for valiant services in the defence of the island against the assault of foreign enemy. At an earlier date, in 1581, he had travelled to Portugal and Spain on behalf of the island's inhabitants, in order to seek permission for them to settle in Sierra Leone, a permission which was refused because of the fear that the island would thereafter be totally abandoned. He made a number of voyages to the mainland of Guinea, especially in the 1570s, and he was still alive in 1603. He was twice married, and his descendants married into the leading families of the island. At least one son was well acquainted with the coast and waterways of Guinea, and is on record as claiming to hold the office of Captain of Cacheu." (Teixeira da Mota on Alvares de Almada)

4. Francisco de Lemos Coelho: Description of the Coast of Guinea (1684)

"Description of the Coast of Guinea" republished:

Lemos Coelho’s account was the fourth Portuguese account to describe, in fairly comprehensive detail, the coast of West Africa between Cape Verde and the Sierra Leone estuary, its trade and its peoples. The earlier accounts were the one compiled by Valentim Fernandes c.1500 and those written by André Álvares de Almada c.1595 and André Donelha c.1625. The three later accounts have many points of similarity, all three being written in the Cape Verde Islands by individuals who had traded on the coast. ... . Lemos Coelho’s was the last comprehensive Portuguese account of western Guinea. Dutch, French and English accounts of the coast began to be written after 1600 and - unlike the Portuguese accounts - were published. - P.E.H. Hair

3. Archibald Lyall: Black and White Make Brown (1938)

"Black and White Make Brown" republished:

Mr. Archibald Lyall has struck completely virgin soil for his new travel book. This is the first work that has ever appeared in English on the Portuguese colonies of either Guinea or the Cape Verde Islands. They may truly be said to be two of the least known territories in Africa, if not in the world—but by no means two of the least important. With the German demand for colonies, and the confused future of the Mediterranean, they may yet leap into front-page news, and Mr. Lyall has much that is topical to say about the strategic importance of Cape Verde, and about the German activities in the Bissagos Islands, off the Guinea coast, where the French newspapers place secret naval bases almost weekly. During his adventures, Mr. Lyall sailed in the last wind-jammer still left in the trans-Atlantic passenger trade, he stayed with alleged cannibals, hobnobbed with some of the most eccentric exiles ever to be washed up on a tropic beach, discovered the worst poet in the world—and at least one very good one.

Photo's of this book (partially available in the book).

2. P.E.H. Hair / A. Teixeira da Mota: Jesuit Documents

"The Jesuit Documents" republished:

The Jesuit Mission to Western Guinea was the first one outside Europe. Here the texts of the Jesuit Mission's staff in early 17th century, as collected by Teixeira da Mota and translated by P.E.H.Hair, are completely transcribed and republished.

1. Cape Verde Islands: Historical Visits

Many relevant historical accounts are now bundled in a book:

When I visited Santiago the first time in 2002, I had already read some travel guides and was interested to see all the beautiful places. After I did see many of these places and met many of its people, I became more and more interested in Cape Verde's special history. The Portuguese discovered the islands in 1460 and they were almost immediately colonized. From then on a particular mixing of people from West-Africa and Europe were the continuous ingredients of Cape Verde's culture. My personal interest is in re-experiencing the historical development of Cape Verde's culture. A fine way for me to do this, is by reading primary accounts, accounts of people who tell directly from their own experiences. I would like to share with you a dozen of these accounts of famous and unknown travelers to the Cape Verde Islands, which stretch out over the period from 1498 to 1855.
2nd Ed: added journey by Jean Francois Michel (Dutch text).
3rd Ed: added text by Major A.B. Ellis of the 1st West India Regiment.