This is book 10 of the "Aubrey-Maturin" series.

This note contains spoilers for the book.

Tenth in the series.

They're off in the Surprise to stop a heavy American frigate from interfering with the whalers.

They end up with a few of them, including Abrey and Maturin, stranded on an island with the crew of the Norfolk, including a number of deserters from the Hermione (a ship that mutinied and actually handed itself over to Spain).