Miguel López de Legazpi commanded a fleet of four Spanish ships that sailed from Mexico in November 1564 en route to the Philippines. The San Lucas under the command of Alonso de Arellano broke away from the others, possibly because pilot Lope Martín and other crew members intended to engage in piracy in the East Indies, and sailed into the Marshall Islands in their attempt to avoid the fleet's other ships. The ship passed Likiep on January 5, 1565; Kwajalein on January 7, where they met two Native families; and Lib Island on January 8. Lib was heavily inhabited, and Arellano described the Natives as warlike and expert at throwing stones with slings, so the ship sailed on without landing. Meanwhile, Legazpi's other three ships arrived at Mejit on January 9, 1565. On the island, they found a settlement of one-hundred people who subsisted by fishing, farming root vegetables and millet-like grains, and raising poultry. Most of the inhabitants had fled into the interior, but the Spaniards had peaceful relations with an elderly couple and a woman who stayed behind. Legazpi named the island "Los Barbudos" (), because of the inhabitants' facial hair. On January 10, the Spaniards sighted Ailuk Atoll and Jemo Island, which they named "Los Placeres" () and "Los Pajaros" (). On January 12, they sighted Wotho Atoll, and on January 15, Ujelang, before sailing to the Philippines.
Miguel López de Legazpi commanded a fleet of four Spanish ships that sailed from Mexico in November 1564 en route to the Philippines. The San Lucas under the command of Alonso de Arellano broke away from the others, possibly because pilot Lope Martín and other crew members intended to en,gage in piracy in the East Indies, and sailed into the Marshall Islands in their attempt to avoid the fleet's other ships. The ship passed Likiep on January 5, 1565; Kwajalein on January 7, where they met two Native families; and Lib Island on January 8. Lib was heavily inhabited and Arellano described the Natives as warlike and expert at throwing stones with slings, so the ship sailed on without landing. Meanwhile Legazpi's other three ships arrived at Mejit on January 9, 1565. On the island, they found a settlement of one-hundred people who subsisted by fishing, farming root vegetables and millet-like grains, and raising poultry. Most of the inhabitants had fled into the interior, but the Spaniards had peaceful relations with an elderly couple and a woman who stayed behind. Legazpi named the island "Los Barbudos" (), because of the inhabitants' facial hair. On January 10, the Spaniards sighted Ailuk Atoll and Jemo Island, which th,ey named "Los Placeres" () and "Los Pajaros" (). On January 12, they sighted Wotho Atoll, and on January 15, Ujelang, before sailing to the Philippines.