Little is known about Alarcón's life outside of his expedition in [[New Spain]]. He set sail on May 9, 1540 with orders from the Spanish [[Viceroy]] [[Antonio de Mendoza]] to await at a certain point on the coast the arrival of an expedition by land under the command of Coronado. | Little is known about Alarcón's life outside of his expedition in [[New Spain]]. He set sail on May 9, 1540 with orders from the Spanish [[Viceroy]] [[Antonio de Mendoza]] to await at a certain point on the coast the arrival of an expedition by land under the command of Coronado. |