When we were come within two miles of the shore, the brig’s topsail was backed and her light sails furled; by the time this was done I, who had secured the helm and gone to the deck-house top to take another view of the lava-coloured swelling places, spied a white boat making for us; by help of the glass I counted four men in her. She came along quickly. We went to the gangway to receive the boat, and Will stood by with a line.
Tom, looking through the telescope, exclaimed, ‘The corporal’s not one of them! I believe I recollect the stroke oar—it’s Peter Green, a Dutchman.’
‘The corporal may be dead,’ said I.
‘It will not matter,’ he answered.
The white whale-boat swept alongside; the coil of line flung by Will was caught; three of the fellows scrambled aboard by way of the main-chains, and the fourth followed quickly after thrusting the boat, secured by the line, clear of the brig. Three of them were elderly men, and one middle-aged; they were dressed in large grass hats, blue jackets, and two of them in trousers of a fearnought. Tom stepped up to the man that had pulled stroke, and, giving his hand, said:
‘You’re Peter Green. Do you remember me?’
The fellow had an old homely Dutch face, withered by the wear of weather, the smallest eyes I ever saw in a man, lodged deep in mere gimlet-holes under the grey and white of his shaggy brows. I was pleased, however, by his look of simple kindness and good-nature. He stared with a wrinkled, smiling face at Tom, and said, ‘Yaw, we hov met; vhas it on dot island?’
Tom named the date of his visit, the ship, and was recalling one or two incidents, when Peter Green again shook hands: ‘To be sure! I remembers you now. And how vhas you, sir, after all dis time?’ and he cast his little eyes around the decks as though in search of the crew. ‘Dis vhas your lady, I expect?’ said he, looking at me and touching his hat.
Tom slightly inclined his head and said: ‘This is Mr. Bates, chief mate, and yonder young gentleman, Mr. Johnstone, this lady’s cousin.’
‘Und dese,’ said Peter Green, waving his hand toward his three mates, who stood near him, ‘vhas my goodt neighbours and friendts—Mr. Alexander Cotton, dot vhas long in your Royal Navy; Mr. Andrew Hagan, dot hails from Boston; and Mr. William Daly, dot vhas likewise of your navy.’