Masterman Ready

Masterman Ready, or the Wreck of the Pacific is a robinsonade children's novel published in 1841 by Frederick Marryat. The book follows the adventures of the Seagrave family who are shipwrecked at sea, and survive on a desert island with the assistance of veteran sailor Masterman Ready.

The Seagrave family are returning to New South Wales on board the Pacific when a storm strikes, wrecking the ship.[1] The crew escape in a lifeboat leaving the passengers to their fate. The Seagrave family, together with their young black female servant Juno, and the veteran sailor Masterman Ready, are shipwrecked on a desert island. The family learn to survive many obstacles, helped by Ready's long experience of life as a seaman.[2] The worse threat comes when a band of marauders attacks the party, resulting in the death of Ready. Rescue comes when the captain of the Pacific, who the family thought had died in the storm, arrives in a schooner.