Frank Marryat (1826-1855) was the son of novelist Captain Frederick Marryat. He joined the Royal Navy as midshipman and served on HMS Samarang in the Far East. In 1850, he left England for California via Panama. He returned to England in 1853, married, and prepared to return with his new bride to California that same year. However, he had contracted yellow fever onboard ship, which forced him to cut the trip short and return to England where he died before his book was published.