Michael Scott

Michael Scott (1789–1835) was a Scottish writer born near Glasgow who went to Jamaica in 1806 to run a plantation and engage in trade. He is chiefly known by the pen name "Tom Cringle," under which his representative works, Tom Cringle's Log and The Cruise of the Midge, were serialized anonymously in Blackwood's Magazine. Written in a humorous style, these works recount his experiences in the West Indies in the 1820s, combining maritime adventure with the life of the colonial world; his true identity as author was made public only after his death. Public information about his life and work is limited, and existing accounts center on these two works, focusing on their distinctive narrative voice and subject matter.