Piracy on the Great Lakes

Waiting in the night, hidden behind a remote island, no lights showing, pirates would lure unsuspecting ships into unknown waters.  Then they would silently slide up to them and board the ship.  The crew would be killed and bodies thrown over the side, weighted down with chains.  The pirates would take the cargo, sink or burn the ship, and then, just as quietly, sail away into the night.  Dead men tell no tales, nor do they testify in court.  Forget everything you've learned about pirates from the movies.  Instead of chasing down ships laden with gold, the Great Lakes pirates were after commodities.  There were fur pirates, timber pirates, religious pirates, and inept pirates.  Just about anything that could be sold fell prey to pirates.  Cargos could be stolen and then sold at the next port.