The following year, Portuguese explorers returned from Africa with nearly thirty slaves. Within ten years, thousands of slaves had been transported by sea to Portugal and the Portuguese Islands.

West African gold explorers have proven some of the ASX's best stories. A new one has just popped up on Garimpeiro's radar.

But what made the trip even more special was the fact that South African explorer and author Kingsley Holgate, a man whose name is synonymous with African adventure, was part of the convoy.