Álvaro Fernandes (sometimes given erroneously as António Fernandes), was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer from Madeira, in the service of Henry the Navigator. He captained two important expeditions (in 1445 and 1446), which expanded the limit of the Portuguese discovery of the West African coast, probably as far as the northern borderlands of modern Guinea-Bissau. Álvaro Fernandes's farthest point (approximately Cape Roxo) would not be surpassed for ten years, until the voyage of Alvise Cadamosto in 1456.
Background
Álvaro Fernandes was the nephew João Gonçalves Zarco, discoverer and donatary captain of Funchal. Fernandes was brought up (as a page or squire) in the household of Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator.
1st expedition
In 1448, as part of a larger expedition mainly based in Lagos, Algarve, a small caravel fleet was assembled in Madeira. Two of the ships were outfitted by João Gonçalves Zarco, donatary of Funchal, who appointed his nephew, Álvaro Fernandes, created by Prince Henry, to captain one of them. Another ship was commanded by Tristão da Ilha, donatary captain of Machico, and another by Álvaro de Ornellas.João de Barros, Lib. I, Ch. 11 (p.87); Faria e Sousa (p.527).
According to 15th-century chronicler Gomes Eanes de Zurara, Álvaro Fernandes went out alone, personally instructed by Prince Henry to avoid any raids, and aim straight for Guinea for the glory of exploration alone.Zurara, (Ch. 65, p.225). Skipping Arguin, Álvaro Fernandes sailed straight south, reaching the mouth of the Senegal River. He stopped there only long enough to fill two barrels with river water.Zurara, p.226
Álvaro Fernandes continued sailing down the Grande Côte of Senegal until Cape Verde, the farthest point reached by Dinis Dias. It is uncertain if Dias actually surpassed the cape. If not, then Álvaro Fernandes may very well have been the first European to double Cape Verde and sail into the Angra de Bezeguiche (Bay of Dakar). Fernandes anchored at Bezeguiche island (Gorée island), which was uninhabited, but had many wild goats, which the crew proceeded to slaughter for food.In his 1490s memoirs, Henrican captain Diogo Gomes (p.276) claims the bay was named Bezeguiche after a local mainland king. He does not, however, make mention of Álvaro Fernandes himself. Fernandes is said to have left his marker on the island by carving Prince Henry the Navigator's knightly motto, Talent de bien faire ("Hunger for good deeds") on a tree trunk.Zurara (p.226), Barros (p.113), Quintella (p.145)
While idling off the island, a couple of curious native canoes (five men each) from the mainland (Wolof or more probably Lebou people) paddled out to the caravel. The first encounter went smoothly enough—gestures were exchanged expressing peaceful intentions, and several of the natives were invited aboard, and given food and drink by the Portuguese, before setting back in their canoes and returning to the mainland. Encouraged by the report of the initial pacific encounter, six more canoes decided to paddle out to the caravel. But this time Álvaro Fernandes decided to set up an ambush, and prepared a launch with armed men, behind the concealed side of the caravel. As the native canoes got within range, Fernandes gave the signal and the hidden Portuguese armed launch darted out from behind the ship. The native canoes immediately began to turn around to make their way back to shore, but not before the Portuguese boat reached the closest African canoe. Cut off, the native crew leaped overboard and tried to swim back to shore. Two of the swimmers were captured by the Portuguese, but put up such a fight that by the time the second man was captured and subdued, all the others had made it safely to the mainland.Zurara (p.228). Barros does not give details of this incident, but notes later (p.113) that the natives on this shore were provoked to hostility by Fernandes actions.
The ambush had yielded only two captives, and raised the alarm on the mainland shore. With the element of surprise now gone, Álvaro Fernandes saw little point in remaining in the vicinity, and set sail out of Bezeguiche bay.Zurara, p.228 He proceeded south along the Petite Côte a little way, until he reached an imposing cliff rock he called the Cabo dos Mastos ("Cape of Masts", on account of a set of dry, naked tree trunks, which resembled a cluster of ship's masts; now Cape Naze, ).Barros (p.113). Cape Naze is south of Popenguine and north of Guerrero. Castilho (vol. 1, p.117) points out that 'Naze' is probably a cartographic corruption of the abbreviation for 'Mastos'. Uniquely, Cortesão (p.10n11) makes the case that the Cabo dos Mastos might actually be Cape Rouge () just a few miles north of Cape Naze. Fernandes ordered a launch to scout the nearby area. They came upon a small hunting party of four natives (possibly Serer) in the vicinity, and tried to capture them by surprise, but the startled hunters managed to escape and outrun the Portuguese.Zurara, p.228-29.
Alvaro Fernandes returned to Portugal thereafter, with the two captives from Bezeguiche, the barrels of Senegal River water and the hunters' weapons to show for it. His hostile action had raised the alarm among the populations around Bezeguiche bay. The next Portuguese ships to arrive in the area—the large slaving fleet of Lançarote de Freitas a few months later—would be greeted by a hail of arrows and poisoned darts, and forced away.
Álvaro Fernandes sailed further south than any prior Portuguese captain, setting up the Cape of Mastos as the farthest marker. For that, he and his uncle, João Gonçalves Zarco, were amply rewarded by Prince Henry.Zurara, p.229
2nd expedition In the following year, João Gonçalves Zarco set out again on a caravel, commanded by his nephew Álvaro Fernandes.Zurara, Ch. 87 (p.p.258) (Port: p.406). Barros (Dec. I.1, Ch.14, p.121). Quintella (p.149) and Diffie and Winius (p.86-87) place this in 1446. Faria e Sousa (p.528) in 1447. Fernandes headed straight to his last point (Cabo dos Matos), and landed a little exploring party, but finding nobody, re-embarked and continued sailing on. At an indeterminate point south of there, they spotted a local coastal village and disembarked a party, only to be met by an armed native force (probably Serer), intent on defending their village. Álvaro Fernandes killed what he believed was the native chieftain at the beginning of the encounter, prompting the rest of the local warriors to briefly halt the fight. The Portuguese landing party availed themselves of the pause to hurry back to their ship.Zurara, p.259.
Having sailed a little on, the next day, the Portuguese captured two young local women collecting shellfish by the shore. The caravel resumed sail, and continued "for a certain distance", until they reached a large river, which is recorded in the chronicles as "Rio Tabite" (location uncertain, see below). Although probably aware of the fate of Nuno Tristão on a similar river venture, Alvaro Fernandes nonetheless decided to set a launch to explore upriver. The first exploratory boat made a landing on the bank near some local huts, where they quickly captured a local woman and brought her back to the caravel. Then refitting the boat, they set out again, this time intending to sail further upriver. But they did not get far before they came upon four or five native canoes with armed men heading towards them. Fernandes immediately turned the boat around and began racing back to the caravel, with the canoes hot on his tail. One of the canoes went fast enough to nearly catch up with Fernandes's boat, prompting Fernandes to turn and prepare for a fight. But the lead native canoe, realizing it was alone, slowed down to wait for the others, thus giving the Portuguese boat the opportunity to resume their flight back to the caravel. The Portuguese escaped, but Álvaro Fernandes himself was gravely wounded in the leg by a poisoned arrow shot from one of the canoes. Once aboard ship, he disinfected the wound with urine and olive oil. He lay in fever for a few days, on the edge of death, but recovered.Zurara, p.260
Despite the near-fatal experience, the caravel proceeded straight south for a little longer, until they reached a sandy cape and large sandy bay.Zurara, p.261 They put a small boat to explore near the beach, but found a force of some 120 natives, armed with shields, assegais and bows marching towards them. The explorers immediately returned to the caravel. Nonetheless, the armed native party gave what seemed like a peaceful festive demonstration from the beach - waving and inviting the Portuguese to land. But given Fernandes's ill condition and still shaken by their earlier near-escape, the decision was made to quit the area and set sail back to Portugal.
On the way home, Fernandes stopped by Arguin island and a nearby cape in the bay, where they negotiated the purchase of a black slave-woman from some Berber traders. Upon arrival in Portugal, Álvaro Fernandes was amply rewarded by Prince Henry the Navigator who offered him 100 dubloons, and regent Peter of Coimbra, who gave him another 100, for having sailed further than any other Portuguese captain thus far.Zurara, p.261
Extent of explorations
Of all the Henrican captains of the 1440s, Álvaro Fernandes seemed to have pushed the discovery marker farthest. It is almost certain that, on his first expedition (1445), Álvaro Fernandes surpassed all others and was the first European to land on Bezeguiche (Gorée island, in the bay of Dakar), sailing as far as the Cape of Masts (Cape Naze) in central Senegal.