Victorian 221b

The Captain of the Pole Star was inspired by that expedition. To earn some money, ACD seized a chance to sign up on a whaling ship when he was twenty, and that voyage had a lasting impression on him. Later he worked on a ship again, this time travelling to Africa. He nearly died of a tropical disease, and his African adventures weren’t as enjoyable for him as the Arctic ones, so eventually he decided he had enough of the sea and it was time to set up a practice. Which led him to joining Budd in Plymouth, and after they fell out—to Southsea (The Stark Munro Letters were based on those starting-a-practice experiences).