John Reinke, the Dutch captain of a slave ship, is carrying a live cargo of slaves from Africa to Cuba in the 1800s. He has his mistress and servant-slave, Aiche, , on the ship, and the ships doctor, Corot, has his eye on Aiche. The slaves, under the leadership of warrior Tamango, plot a revolt, the moment they are herded on board. Corot convinces Aiche that Reinke never intends to marry her or set her free, and is going to marry a Dutch girl. Aiche joins with Tamango in the revolt. When the situation becomes a stalemate, Reinke orders a cannon fired into the hold of the ship, where the blacks are barricaded with stolen arms.