SERPA PINTO, ALEXANDRE ALBERTO DE LA ROCHA (18461900)

This article appears in Volume V24, Page 675 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: SCY-SHA

SERPA PINTO, ALEXANDRE ALBERTO DE LA ROCHA (18461900) , Portuguese explorer in Africa, was born at the castle of Polchras, on the Douro, on the roth cif April 1846. Entering the army in 1864, he served in

Mozambique

MOZAMBIQUE [Sao Sebastiao de Mocambique]

, and in 1869 took

part

PART

in an expedition against tribes in revolt on the lower Zambezi. In 1877 he and Captains Capello and Ivens of the Portuguese navy were sent on an expedition to

south

SOUTH
SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

central Africa. The explorers left Benguella in November 1877 for the interior, but Serpa Pinto soon parted from his colleagues, who went north, while Serpa Pinto continued

east

EAST
EAST, ALFRED (1849- )

. He crossed the Kwando in June 1878, and in August reached Lialui, the Barotse

capital

CAPITAL (i.e. capital stock or fund)
CAPITAL (Lat. caput, head)

on the Zambezi, where he received help from the Rev. F. Coillard which enabled him to continue his journey down the river to the Victoria Falls, whence he turned

south

SOUTH
SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

, arriving at

Pretoria

PRETORIA

on the 12th of February 1879. He was the fourth explorer to traverse Africa from west to

east

EAST
EAST, ALFRED (1849- )

, and was the first to lay down with approximate accuracy the route between Bihe and Lialui. Among other rewards the Royal Geographical Society of London awarded him (1881) the Founder's

medal

MEDAL (Fr. medaille, from Lat. metallum)

. The account of his travels appeared in English under the title How I crossed Africa (2 vols., London, 1881). In 1884 he at-tempted, with less success, the exploration of the regions between

Mozambique

MOZAMBIQUE [Sao Sebastiao de Mocambique]

and Lake Nyasa. Appointed

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

of
Mozambique in 1889, he organized an expedition with the object of securing for Portugal the Shire highlands and neighbouring regions, but the vigorous action of the British -agents (John Buchanan and H. H. Johnston) frustrated this

design

DESIGN (Fr. desiin, drawing; Lat. designare, to mark out)

(see AFRICA, 5). Shortly afterwards Serpa Pinto returned to

Lisbon

LISBON (Lisboa)

and was promoted to the rank of colonel. He died on the 28th of December 19co.

End of Article: SERPA PINTO, ALEXANDRE ALBERTO DE LA ROCHA (18461900)

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