The biography recounts the subject's upbringing in a bustling maritime port, his self-education and early seafaring apprenticeship, and the gradual formation of a plan to reach unknown lands by sailing west. It traces his reading and study of geography and travel accounts, encounters with veteran sailors and coastal discoveries, and the obstacles he met in securing support and persuading crews. The narrative culminates in a hazardous Atlantic crossing and discusses preparations, doubts, and hardships at sea, while highlighting themes of curiosity, persistence, navigational knowledge, and the violent, lawless maritime environment that shaped his career.