having once more
been convened, I proposed to try every possible means to get the Aernem
into sailing trim again, in the first place by constructing another
rudder. This we found impossible since there were no new square rudders
in either of the yachts; we were accordingly compelled to try some
makeshift, and in order to be able to continue our voyage and avoid
abandoning the yacht, it was finally resolved that with the available
materials there should be constructed a rudder after the manner of the
Chinese and Javanese; for this purpose the Pera will have to give up her
main-top mast, the rest of the required wood to be cut on the land, and
we shall tarry here until the rudder has been replaced.

On the 24th while our men were engaged on the rudder, the subcargo rowed
to the small island aforesaid with the two pinnaces, in order to get
fresh water for the Aernem, which was very poorly supplied with the same,
and in the evening he returned on board again with four casks of water,
which he had got filled with extreme difficulty.

{Page 32}

On the 25th, the yacht Aernem being in sailing trim again, for which God
be thanked, we set sail again with good weather and a favourable wind,
holding our course along the land in 51/2, 6, and 61/2 fathom; in the evening
we cast anchor in 21/2 fathom about 2 miles from the land, having sailed 10
miles this day.

* * *

NOTE

(The Vleermuys-Eylandt is in 8 degrees 8 minutes Lat., 40 miles east of
the Valsch Caep.)

That the island aforesaid is in 8 deg. 8' Southern Latitude, about a mile
south and north of the mainland as before mentioned; it is pretty high,
having a great number of wild trees on the east-side, and being quite
bare on the west-side. It is about a quarter of a mile in circumference,
and is surrounded by numerous cliffs and rocks, overgrown with oysters
and mussels, the soil is excellent and fit to be planted and sown with
everything; by estimation it bears a hundred full-grown cocoanut-trees
and a great many younger ones; we also observed some banana- and
oubi-trees; we besides found fresh water here, which comes trickling
through the clay in small rills, and has to be gathered in pits dug for
the purpose; the island also contains large numbers of bats living in the
trees, on which account we have given to it the name of Vleermuys-Eylant
[Bats' Island] in the new chart. We have seen no huts or human beings in
it, but found unmistakable signs that there had be