Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Lope Martín

Ujelang Atoll

Lope Martín (marooned 21 July 1566) was an Afro-Portuguese maritime pilot. Martín was a free mulatto from Lagos, Portugal, who became a licensed pilot in Spain. He was contracted for Miguel López de Legazpi's expedition from Mexico to the Philippines and was the pilot of a patache called the San Lucas. Martín and the San Lucas separated from the rest of the fleet and sailed through the Marshall Islands and the Caroline Islands before arriving at the Philippines. Without the rest of the fleet, Martín then embarked upon the return voyage from Asia to the Americas and arrived in Mexico. The Real Audiencia of Mexico ordered him to return to the Philippines and appear before Legazpi, who was expected to execute him for having deserted the rest of his fleet. Martín's ship, the San Jerónimo, departed Mexico and Martín led mutinies and took command of the ship. He anchored the San Jerónimo at Ujelang Atoll (pictured) in July 1566, where Martín and 26 other men were left behind and never seen again. (Full article...)