This morning the Resource was sold by public auction:  the custom at Batavia is to begin high and to lower the price till some person bids; and the first bidder is the buyer.  She was accordingly put up at 2000 rix-dollars but to my great disappointment no one offered to purchase before the auctioneer had lowered the demand to 295 rix-dollars, for which price she was sold, the purchaser being an Englishman, Captain John Eddie, who commanded an English ship from Bengal.  If no strangers had been present at the sale I imagine they would have let her run down to 200 dollars, in which case I should have had no alternative.

The launch likewise was sold.  The services she had rendered us made me feel great reluctance at parting with her; which I would not have done if I could have found a convenient opportunity of getting her conveyed to Europe.

Little as the schooner had sold for I found I was in danger of having the sum lessened; for the Sabandar informed me that by an order of the council there was a duty on the sale of all vessels.  With this demand I would by no means comply for I thought I had sufficiently suffered in sustaining a loss of 705 rix-dollars out of 1000 by the purchase and sale of the vessel, she having cost 1000 rix-dollars.

This day Thomas Hall, whom I had sent to be taken care of at the hospital, died.  He had been ill of a flux from the time of our arrival at Timor.

Monday 12.

I agreed with the captain of the packet for a passage to Europe for myself, my clerk, and a servant.  The Sabandar informed me it was necessary that my officers and people should be examined before a notary respecting the loss of the Bounty, as otherwise the governor and council were not legally authorised to detain her if she should be found in any of the Dutch settlements.  They were therefore at my desire examined, and afterwards made affidavit before the governor and council at the Stadthouse.

My officers complaining to me of the unreasonableness of some tradesmen’s bills I spoke to the Sabandar.  A bill of 51 dollars for five hats he reduced to 30 dollars and in other articles made proportionable deductions.

Paper money is the currency of Batavia and is so understood in all bargains.  At this time paper was at 28 per cent discount:  there is likewise a difference in the value of the ducatoon which at Batavia is 80 stivers and in Holland only 63 stivers:  this occasions a loss of 21 1/4 per cent on remittance of money.  It therefore follows that if any person at Batavia remits money by bills of exchange to Europe they lose by the discount and the exchange 49 1/4 per cent.

Those who have accounts to pay and can give unexceptionable bills on Europe will find a considerable saving by negotiating their bills with private people who are glad to give for them a premium of 20 per cent at the least.  This discovery I made somewhat too late to profit by.