Creation of a Best Seller

Raynal, a French engineer, was the first mate and supercargo of the Grafton.  During the long, cold months of their castaway ordeal, he not only designed and oversaw the creation of a hut with a fireplace, stone hearth and chimney, but was the inspiration behind the construction of tanning pits, a forge, a getaway boat, and much else besides.

Returning to France in 1867, he settled down to writing an account of his experiences.  Once finished, he took the manuscript to a small publishing house, Librairie de L. Hachette.

Hachette had an interesting history.  It's founder, Louis Hachette, came from a poor family, but had attended a prestigious school, because his mother was the linen maid there.  In 1822, when he had been on the verge of graduating, the school was closed down by the authorities, because of its left-wing views.  But, he had made rich and influential friends, meantime, who financed him into the purchase of a bookshop.  This, he turned into a book publishing business, focusing on travel (he pioneered railroad bookstalls), and always promoting democratic and liberal views.

Thus, Hachette was the ideal publisher for Raynal's book.  On the island, the castaways had saved themselves through the kind of brotherhood that the publisher promoted.

Hachette had passed away, meantime, but his successor, Charton, maintained his liberal views, and immediately saw the huge potential of Raynal's book. 

His plan was simple, but very effective.

Raynal's book was an immediate success, a huge best seller.

 
The story of the Invercauld castaways has been kept secret, by contrast, completely unexplored until Madelene Ferguson Allen published Robert Holding's memoir.

And it was not until 2007 that both stories were told in tandem, as a potent illustration of the crucial importance of enlightened leadership.