The first engineer gets it right

Addressing Jim, '"Won't you save your own life - you infernal coward," he sobs.'

And that is exactly the difference between Jim and him, between Jim and the Captain and the others who deserted the pilgrims of the Patna.

He deserted out of uncontrollable fear.

They deserted out of unscrupulous self-love.

Conrad, Lord Jim.

Update.

Well, no, that is not quite how they differ from Jim.

Not if Marlow is right that "a turmoil of terror [that] had shattered their self control" is what drove them.

But I think perhaps he is not entirely, unqualifiedly right.

Chapter 9.

All the same, the point is repeatedly made that they call him a coward with hate and contempt.

Pot and kettle?

Or is he truly more the victim of possession by fear than they?

And yet . . . .

"They were exasperated with him for being a half hearted shirker; he focused on them his hatred of the whole thing [.]"