222 CAPTAIN COOK 



and he thus lost the esteem of the King and other 

 high personages. 



Cook learnt from the natives that two Spanish 

 vessels had twice entered the Oheitepeha Bay 

 and that they had left some domestic animals in 

 the country. A Tahitian chief told Cook that 

 the Spanish captain had given instructions to 

 the islanders to prevent the Englishmen landing 

 should they return to the island. The latter 

 found a cross, which proved, in fact, that the 

 Spaniards wished to assume possession of the 

 country. On the cross was the following in- 

 scription 



Christus Vincit 

 Carolus III. Imperat 1774. 



Cook did not lose the opportunity of record- 

 ing the memory of the first voyages of the Eng- 

 lish to Tahiti, and carved on the other side of the 

 cross 



Georgius Tertius Rex 

 Annis 1767 



1769, 1773, 1774 ET 1777. 



While he was in Oheitepeha Bay, Cook pro- 

 ceeded to regulate the very important question of 

 the issue of rum to his crew. Knowing that at 

 Tahiti and the neighbouring islands there was 



