Gabriel Soares de Souza

Gabriel Soares de Sousa
Born 1540
Kingdom of Portugal
Died 1591
Bahia, colony of Brazil
Nationality Portuguese
Occupation Explorer, naturalist, writer

Gabriel Soares de Sousa (1540–1591) was a Portuguese explorer and naturalist. A participant in Francisco Barretos Africa expeditions, he settled in the Portuguese colony of Brazil living there for seventeen years. He wrote Tratado Descritivo do Brasil (A Descriptive Treatise of Brazil), published in 1587. This part encyclopaedia and part personal narrative describes flora and cultivated plants, gives an account of the culture of cotton, the medicinal qualities of tobacco and the so-called “trees reaes” or royal trees, trees of commercial value.It also covers native tribes. In 1591 he led an expedition along the São Francisco River.

References

  • This article incorporates text from História da Literatura Brasileira, de José Veríssimo, in public domain.
  • "Brasiliana da Biblioteca Nacional", Rio de Janeiro, 2001.
  • Gaspar, Lúcia. Viajantes em terras brasileiras - Documentos existentes no acervo da Biblioteca Central Blanche Knopf. Fundação Joaquim Nabuco. Recife.


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