It is not known whether Francisco de…

It is not known whether Francisco de Ulloa accompanied Cortés on his first expedition to the New Spain.

By the account of Bernal Díaz del Castillo, he came to Mexico later while transporting letters to Cortés from his wife.

According to some early historians, Ulloa was influential in helping subdue the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan by naval power.

In 1539, at the private expense of Cortés, he embarks on an expedition in three small vessels, sailing north from Acapulco to explore the Pacific Coast, and to seek the mythical Strait of Anián that supposedly leads to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, proving the existence of the Northwest Passage.

The expedition leaves on July 8 sailing northwards along the coast.