Jules Verne 
Waif Of The "Cynthia" 

The Waif Of The "Cynthia", synopsis: The plot revolved around a dark-haired boy called Erik in a family of blond Norwegians. He was discovered by them in the sea as a baby tied to a ship’s buoy. There is however something wrong with him: he has not all the characteristic physical traits of the Scandinavian peoples. He has all the appearance of a Celtic. Dr. Schwaryencrona takes him under his wing and ends up discovering that Erik was adopted by a family of Norwegian fishermen, after being saved from the sinking of Cynthia when he was only a few months old. Once big, with the help of the Doctor, Erik will seek to elucidate the mystery of the sinking of Cynthia to find a trace of its origins. This quest will take him across the polar ice to Siberia. (Goodreads)