When Jack London advertised for crewmen for his voyage around the world on the Snark, a young Kansas man, Martin Johnson, volunteered. When London asked him whether he could cook, he claimed he could and then went in search of books on how to learn to cook. He was the only crew member besides Jack and Charmian to last all the way to Australia. With money borrowed from London, he completed his journey around the world. Eventually he would become a famous wildlife documentary filmmaker, but while on the Snark, he was just a dedicated amateur. In 1913, his Jack London's Adventures in the South Sea Islands (also known as Jack London's South 214 Jack London Sea Island Adventures) was released, featuring Jack London.

Jack London was very much frustrated by his dealings with filmmakers, most of whom seemed determined to take advantage of him. After...