This war scare, and its effect on American ships, now gets much in Aaron’s way. He turns the port of Amsterdam upside down; not a ship for New York can he find. Killing time, he again gambles in the Holland Company’s shares. He travels about the country. He does not like the swamps and canals and windmills; nor yet the Dutchmen themselves, with their long pipes and twenty pairs of breeches. He returns to Amsterdam, and, best of good fortunes! discovers the American ship _Vigilant_, Captain Combes.
Captain Combes replies that he can. There is a difficulty, however. Captain Combes and his good ship _Vigilant_ are in debt to the Dutch in the sum of five hundred guilders. If Aaron will advance the sum, it shall be repaid the moment the _Vigilant’s_ anchors are down in New York mud. Aaron advances the five hundred guilders. The _Vigilant_ sails out of the Helder with Aaron a passenger. Once in blue water, the _Vigilant_ is swooped upon by an English frigate, which carries her gayly into Yarmouth, a prize.
Aaron writes to the English Alien Office, relates how his homeward voyage has been brought to an end, and asks permission to go ashore. Since England has somewhat lost interest in Spain, and is on the threshold of war with the United States, her objections to Aaron expressed aforetime by Lord Liverpool have cooled. Aaron will not now “embarrass his Majesty’s Government.” He is granted permission to land; indeed, as though to make amends for a past rudeness, the English Government offers Aaron every courtesy. Thus he goes to London, and is instantly in the midst of Bentham, Godwin, Mulgrave, Canning, Cobbett, and the rest of his old friends.
Aaron’s funds are at their old Parisian ebb; that loan to Captain Combes, which ransomed the _Vigilant_ from the Dutch, well-nigh bankrupted him. He got to like poverty in France, however, and does not repine. He refuses to go home with Bentham, and takes to cheap London lodgings instead. He explains to the fussy, kindly philosopher that his sole purpose now is to watch for a home-bound ship, and he can keep no sharp lookout from Barrow Green.
Once in his poor lodgings, Aaron resumes that iron economy he learned to practice in Paris. He sets down this in his diary: