Born c. 1490.
Trujillo, Spain
Died November 1546,
Amazon delta, Peru

Francisco de Orellana’s story is an example of how an important discovery or achievement can be made as the result of an accident. Orellana was on an expedition in South America with Francisco Pizarro (see entry) when he became separated from the main party. Stranded on the Napo River, he drifted to the Amazon River, then floated down the Amazon to its mouth, thus becoming the first European to travel the length of the world’s largest river.

Orellana was born in the town of Trujillo in the Spanish province of Extremadura; he was a relative of Pizarro. Orellana may have gone to America in about the year 1527, possibly traveling to Panama and then to Nicaragua. Accompanying Pizarro when he set out to conquer Peru, Orellana participated in battles at Lima, Trujillo...