From the introduction: The Ebony Eagle was once a pirate cog. The navy damaged it in capture but instead of scuttling it the Commodore decided to load up the still living pirates & haul the hulk of a ship back to port to be used as a prison hulk until the pirate would be tried. On the way back to port a storm snapped the tow rope & the Ebony Eagle & the crew were set adrift. Three royal marines died one by suicide & other two by accidents. The prisoners eventually died starving still chained to the bulk heads.