R.M.Ballantyne (1825—1894) began his literary career when he published his adventurous diary, 'Hudson’s Bay' in 1848. After the success of 'The Coral Island' in 1857 he became a very popular professional writer of stories for boys.

He travelled widely, visiting Norway, Canada, Algeria, and elsewhere, and working at different occupations, including fireman and miner.

He wrote 80 novels. His skill with language, the wonderful places he described and the interesting characters of his heroes brought him popularity. Among his best-known works are the 'Gorilla Hunters' (1862) and 'Black Ivory' (1873).