Directlyhecouldwalkwithoutastick，hedescendedintothetowntolookforsomeopportunitytogethome。Nothingofferedjustthen，and，whilewaiting，heassociatednaturallywiththemenofhiscallingintheport。Thesewereoftwokinds。Some，veryfewandseentherebutseldom，ledmysteriouslives，hadpreservedanundefacedenergywiththetemperofbuccaneersandtheeyesofdreamers。Theyappearedtoliveinacrazymazeofplans，hopes，dangers，enterprises，aheadofcivilization，inthedarkplacesofthesea；andtheirdeathwastheonlyeventoftheirfantasticexistencethatseemedtohaveareasonablecertitudeofachievement。Themajorityweremenwho，likehimself，throwntherebysomeaccident，hadremainedasofficersofcountryships。Theyhadnowahorrorofthehomeservice，withitsharderconditions，severerviewofduty，andthehazardofstormyoceans。TheywereattunedtotheeternalpeaceofEasternskyandsea。Theylovedshortpassages，gooddeck-chairs，largenativecrews，andthedistinctionofbeingwhite。Theyshudderedatthethoughtofhardwork，andledprecariouslyeasylives，alwaysonthevergeofdismissal，alwaysonthevergeofengagement，servingChinamen，Arabs，half-castes——wouldhaveservedthedevilhimselfhadhemadeiteasyenough。Theytalkedeverlastinglyofturnsofluck：howSo-and-sogotchargeofaboatonthecoastofChina——asoftthing；howthisonehadaneasybilletinJapansomewhere，andthatonewasdoingwellintheSiamesenavy；andinalltheysaid——intheiractions，intheirlooks，intheirpersons——couldbedetectedthesoftspot，theplaceofdecay，thedeterminationtoloungesafelythroughexistence。
ToJimthatgossipingcrowd，viewedasseamen，seemedatfirstmoreunsubstantialthansomanyshadows。Butatlengthhefoundafascinationinthesightofthosemen，intheirappearanceofdoingsowellonsuchasmallallowanceofdangerandtoil。Intime，besidetheoriginaldisdaintheregrewupslowlyanothersentiment；andsuddenly，givinguptheideaofgoinghome，hetookaberthaschiefmateofthePatna。
ThePatnawasalocalsteamerasoldasthehills，leanlikeagreyhound，andeatenupwithrustworsethanacondemnedwater-tank。
ShewasownedbyaChinaman，charteredbyanArab，andcommandedbyasortofrenegadeNewSouthWalesGerman，veryanxioustocursepubliclyhisnativecountry，butwho，apparentlyonthestrengthofBismarck’svictoriouspolicy，brutalizedallthosehewasnotafraidof，andworea`blood-and-iron’
air，combinedwithapurplenoseandaredmoustache。Aftershehadbeenpaintedoutsideandwhitewashedinside，eighthundredpilgrimsmoreorlessweredrivenonboardofherasshelaywithsteamupalongsideawoodenjetty。