In which the captain and his men come upon a Dutch-built ship inhabited solely by a multitude of enslaved negroes, whose tragic revolt against their cruel captors has left the vessel bereft of its white crew, and this discovery leads to a delicate challenge of communication and compassion. With the aid of a skilled surgeon and the resourceful William, they navigate the difficulties of healing, understanding, and eventually devising a plan to trade and dispose of the captives, all while debating the future course of their voyaging exploits.