This account of south-central Africa, written in 1648, provides rare detail about the life of the African people of the region and their relations with the Portuguese creole community. As well as the work of the Jesuit mission, Gomes describes African gold mining, politics and social relations (including costume, marriage, medicine, witchcraft, litigation and slavery). His narrative also provides details about the coastal Macua and Portuguese knowledge of Lake
Malawi, and he reports conversations with Africans in order to explain aspects of African society that might surprise or shock his fellow Jesuits. The narrative also describes the Maldive Islands and gives information about Madagascar.