Serpa Pinto (Alexandre Alberto da Rocha)

This well-known explorer of the Dark Continent was in Funchal around 1875, serving as a captain in the now disbanded 12th Battalion of Caçadores (Portuguese light infantry). He was a close friend of the late Major Daniel Simões Soares, also an officer of the same regiment, with whom he went so far as to plan a journey of exploration to Southern Africa, which never took place.

Serpa Pinto was born on 20 April 1846 and died on 28 December 1900. The account of his adventurous journey across the African continent is given in the book he wrote, entitled A Carabina d'el-rei.