Cirrus@Austlit

Now 'widely accepted as one of the modernist masters of serious narrative fiction', Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English author and master mariner. Arriving in England in June 1878, Conrad 'worked as a seaman on English ships, and in 1880 he began his career as an officer in the British merchant service, rising from third mate to master. His voyages took him to Australia, India, Singapore, Java, Borneo, to those distant and exotic places which would provide the background for much of his fiction.' (Sources: Concise Dictionary of British Literary Biography; Encyclopedia of World Biography)

According to the biographical article by Roy Chase, Joseph Conrad visited Australia four times between 1879 and 1892-1893. It was on one of these journeys that Conrad 'found, in Sydney, a character years later re-created in his short story, "Because of the Dollars" - an armless French sailor who sold matches and tobacco in George Street'. (Source: 'When Joseph Conrad Came to Sydney' Australian National Review May 1939)