Don Alvaro Mendana de
Neira, 25 years old and relatively inexperienced was selected by the Spanish
government to lead an expedition searching for Terra Australis. On 19 November
1567, Mendana's two vessels sailed from Callao in Peru.
After 2 months at sea, the voyagers joined an island named Santa Ysabel from
the name of Mendana's wife. On 11 May 1568, they sailed back to Peru and all
the islands they discovered, incluing Solomons Islands, weren't sighted before
200 years by Europeans. After a navigation of 9 months, they arrived in Callao
in September 1569.
Then, at 53 years old, Mendana left on 9 April 1595 Callao a new time to find
in Solomons Islands an outpost for further discovery. But when Spanish anchored
in Graciosa Bay, Mendana was sick with malaria and lost control of the situation.
Many of the company were killed by natives or by malaria.
On 18 October 1595, Mendana died, letting the charge to the Portuguese Fernandez
de Quiros who fortunately managed to reach Peru, taking the honour of this difficult
expedition.