By this accident our numbers were sadly diminished, as was our hope of obtaining what we might require from the wreck.  Cousin Silas took occasion to urge upon the remainder of the men the importance of keeping together for mutual support; but, from the way the whaler's crew took his advice, I saw that they were in no way inclined to follow it.  It was with difficulty even that he could persuade them to keep watch at night.  That was a trying period with us.  Cousin Silas and I, with two of the crew kept our watch; and Ben, and the doctor, and Jerry, with two others, watched the rest of the night.  We kept our ears and eyes wide open, and fancied that we could see under the shadow of the trees the savages prowling about us, and could hear their suppressed whispers; but if such was the case, when they found that we were on the alert, they refrained from attacking us.