Samuel Pasfield Oliver, a Royal Artillery officer who was educated at Eton and Woolwich, was a man of wide and diverse interests. His travels took him to many far away places, including China, Asia Minor, India, Greece, Sardinia, and Nicaragua. However, Oliver is best remembered for his travels in Madagascar and Mauritius. His publications about these two countries encompass an array of topics, including anthropology, geography, military affairs, and travel and exploration. Several of his books, particularly The true story of the French dispute in Madagascar and Madagascar: An historical and descriptive account of the island and its former dependencies, remain classics. Oliver's other works range from travelogues to a history of Cornish castles.