Possible Clues:

• Reduced numbers, we infer
• Danger to ships from below carries weight for smaller number of people
• Like two, to four
• Not as many revealed by strong pitcher
• sheep, ditto, in smaller numbers
• Less common to find female on vessel
• Not so many, we infer!
• Not so many in turmoil after change of heart
• Like Canadian provinces vis-à-vis U.S. states
• Less (than)