The quote is “Great Benin, where the king resides, is larger than Lisbon; all the streets run straight and as far as the eye can see. The houses are large, especially that of the king, which is richly decorated and has fine columns. The city is wealthy and industrious. It is so well governed that theft is unknown and the people live in such security that they have no doors to their houses.”
It seems like this quote is only available from dubious sources, so is there any evidence that this quote and/or captain are real?
I have found a solid bibliographic reference, but I cannot double check the original account, as I am not in Rome. If someone is, he/she can check it in the Vatican Archives.
In the book Africa and the Development of International Law, page 12, we can read: Lourenco [sic] Pinto, who was the captain of a Portuguese ship that carried the missionaries to Warri in 1691, sent this deposition to the Sacra Congregazione at the instance of one Father Montelcone [sic]
After this, one can see exactly the quote you provide, accompanied by a footnote with the appropriate bibliographic reference, that remits us to Ryder, pg 113. A summary in ASC acta generalia, vol. 64, fol. 55, no. 27, April 20 1694 supplies a few interesting details about Benin City at the time.
Ryder's book is "Benin and the Europeans (1485-1897)", printed in London in 1969 by Longman and Company. There, on page 113, we see the following: A deposition from the captain, Lourenço Pinto, was sent to the Sacra Congregazione by Father Monteleone. A summary in ASC acta generalia, vol. 64, fol. 55, no. 27, April 20 1694 supplies a few interesting details about Benin City at the time.
ASC means Acta Sacrae Congregationis (1622-1982), which is the collection of the documents produced by the Holy Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fidei), and those Acta are preserved in Vatican Archive. The collection is monstruous in size, composed of 364 volumes.
As said, the bibliographic sources seem appropriate, but I cannot check the original documents as they are in Rome and I am not there. I hope someone can revise vol. 64. WorldCat reference for the Acta linked below:
https://www.worldcat.org/title/acta-sacrae-congregationis-1622-1982/oclc/145569605