We possessed, however, no arms
or ammunition beyond what we had taken with us upon our expedition to
the caves. The thought of this caused us grave anxiety when we
reflected upon the small force at our disposal should hostile natives,
having discovered our weakness, be tempted to attack us. Repining,
however, would avail us nothing, so, at Hartog's request, I set about
organizing our camp. Hartog himself was so cast down by the loss of our
ship that he seemed incapable of diverting his thoughts from the
catastrophe which had overtaken us. I thus found our former positions
reversed, Hartog being on the brink of the same hopeless despair which
had obsessed me when Anna was taken from me, while upon me devolved the
task of heartening him.
And now a new danger threatened us. We had not been a month at the
settlement after the piracy of the "Golden Seahorse" before it became
evident to me that our crew had ceased to regard their officers with
the same respect as they had formerly shown them on board ship.
Sailors, ashore, are accustomed to a license they do not look for at
sea. Hence it was but natural that, since their ship no longer claimed
their duty, they should regard themselves as freed from discipline.
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