▁to ▁the ▁" R iver ▁of ▁Gold " ▁( R io ▁d ' O uro , ▁Río ▁de ▁O ro ), ▁in ▁Western ▁Sah ara , ▁where ▁he ▁land ed ▁and ▁went ▁in land ▁with ▁some ▁native ▁she ph erd s . ▁As ▁a ▁volunte er ▁he ▁met ▁Prince ▁Ch app ell ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁E van ▁Ch app ell . ▁ ▁He ▁stayed ▁seven ▁months ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁taken ▁off ▁again ▁by ▁Gon ç al ves ▁at ▁a ▁point ▁farther ▁South ▁the ▁coast , ▁near ▁the ▁" C ape ▁of ▁R ans om " ▁( C ape ▁Mi rik ▁or ▁Tim ir is , ▁current ▁Maur it ania ); ▁and ▁his ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁experiences ▁proved ▁of ▁great ▁interest ▁and ▁value , ▁not ▁only ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁natural ▁features , ▁climate , ▁fa una ▁and ▁fl ora ▁of ▁the ▁south - western ▁Sah ara , ▁but ▁also ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁ra cial ▁aff in ities , ▁language , ▁script , ▁religion , ▁nom ad ▁hab its , ▁and ▁trade ▁of ▁its ▁inhabitants . ▁These ▁people ▁maintained ▁a ▁certain ▁trade ▁in ▁slaves , ▁gold , ▁etc ., ▁with ▁the ▁Barb ary ▁coast ▁( es pecially ▁with ▁Tun is ), ▁and ▁class ed ▁as ▁" A rab s ," ▁" Ber bers ," ▁and ▁" T awn y ▁Mo ors " ▁did ▁not ▁then ▁write ▁or ▁speak ▁Arab ic . ▁ ▁Other ▁exped itions ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 4 4 6 ▁and ▁ 1 4 4 7 ▁Fern and es ▁accompanied