Deep Down : A Tale of the Cornish Mines

Robert Michael Ballantyne (24 April 1825 – 8 February 1894) was a Scottish author of juvenile fiction who wrote more than 100 books. He was also an accomplished artist, and exhibited some of his water-colours at the Royal Scottish Academy. His father was a printer, but when that business collapsed, he went to Canada at age 16, where he became a fur trader. When he returned to England, his adventures inspired him to begin writing.<P>
While researching for Deep Down, he spent time with the tin miners of Cornwall, which helped give his book a realistic feel. In his lifetime, he published more than 100 books, most of the juvenile adventure fiction.