6 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
From a Spanish account of Chiloe, &c. published 
in 1791, it appears that, in 1772, two ships, sent by 
the Viceroy of Peru to survey the islands of the 
Pacific, visited Tahiti, and conveyed to Peru two 
natives, who were baptized there, and sent back, in 
1774, with two Roman Catholic Missionaries. A 
house of wood was erected for these Missionaries, 
near the shore of Vaitapeha Bay, in Taiarapu. 
u Before the ships departed, the Spanish com¬ 
mander called a meeting of the chiefs, who had 
taken the Missionaries under their protection, 
described the grandeur of his sovereign, and in¬ 
formed them of his right to all the islands. The 
natives, (the account says,) demonstrated much 
complaisance, and, by acclamation, acknowledged 
the king of Spain, king of Otaheite and all the 
islands.’' In January, 1775, the ships returned, 
taking two other natives with them.* The Mis¬ 
sionaries do not seem to have held much, if any, 
intercourse with the people; they remained about 
ten months in the island, when the ships, in which 
they had arrived, returned, and they embarked for 
Lima. When Captain Cook visited Taiarapu, in 
1777, he saw the house which they had left; it was 
divided into two rooms; loop-holes “ were cut all 
around, which served as air-holes, and, perhaps, 
might be meant to fire from with muskets.”f A 
wooden cross, inscribed with “ Ckristus vincit , et 
Carolus III . imperat , 1774,” stood in front of the 
house, and near it was the grave of the commander 
of one of the ships, who died in 1774. The Span¬ 
iards left hogs, goats, and dogs, on the island; 
and, so far as these have proved serviceable to the 
people, their mission was beneficial. 
* Burney’s Hist, of Voyages and Discoveries, vol. iv. p. 570, 
f Cook’s Third Voyage, vol. ii. p. 12. 
