For some days the schooner stood on, happily meeting with no other vessel to plunder and destroy.  We all the time were kept in anxious doubt as to what was to be our fate.  We had another cause of anxiety, in observing that the crew were inclined to quarrel with each other. The cause of this we could not understand, but the fact was very evident.  A party seemed to be formed against the captain, and it appeared to us that Silva was at the head of it.  Of course this was only conjecture.  He was certainly not on such good terms with the captain as he had been at first.  He was not a man of a quarrelsome or ambitious disposition, and probably some of the rest of the crew put him forward as their chief, knowing that he would be the principal sufferer if their plans failed, and believing that they could easily get rid of him if at any time they found it convenient so to do.  Now and then disputes arose to a high pitch.  Knives would be drawn and pistols flashed.  More than once matters were brought to extremities; wounds were given and received, and blood was spilt.  It had the effect of cooling their tempers for a moment, but at the slightest provocation they again broke out.