The Crew of the Water Wagtail

R. M. Ballantyne was a Scottish writer of juvenile and historical fiction. Born in Edinburgh, he was part of a famous family of printers and publishers. At the age of 16 he went to Canada where he served for six years with the Hudson's Bay Company. He returned to Scotland in 1847, and published his first book the following year, Hudson Bay. For some time he was employed by Messrs Constable, the publishers, but in 1856 he gave up business for literature, and began the series of adventure stories for young readers with which his name is popularly associated. Ballantyne would become an inspiration for R.L. Stevenson, author of the classic Treasure Island.