effectively ruled today southern early 1890s arrived south_africa outlaw assembled trained private army natives drive bands slave raiders took control territory north bank river called known chief series treaties local chiefs gained mineral labour concessions covering region starting clark attempted secure protection holdings company took little notice local chief complained company clark secured concessions passing company official collecting tax years company resolved remove power clark farmed decades success moved late 1910s prominent local figure partner licensed brewery remaining rest life died early life known early life son man hardware business according military officer knew major born cape colony engaged time 1880s tall physically strong man wore large black regarded fine shot capable hunter left south_africa unclear according story fled country outlaw soon revolver fired accident story goes killed man truth travelled portuguese territory way reached long abandoned portuguese settlement confluence rivers today southern founded missionaries portugal ghost town inhabitants fled amid native rising half century deserted visited described utterly ruined time conspicuous monastery buildings site clark arrived decades later portuguese maintained fort called opposite bank surrounding country called largely wild control government settled initially according letter wrote flew british merchant navy flag house rise power slave raiding gangs arab portuguese mixed portuguese ethnicity competing capture local people use slaves clark known locals raised trained army people issued men vague uniform chief asserted clark arrived day chief died finally chief tribe according story told acquaintance partly chief virtue winning battle version defeating rival chief scott clark coming rescue village attack portuguese ing slaves proclaimed chief grateful villagers chief clark secured authority army warriors defined collected taxes oversaw activities foreign traders area locals paid tribute form cattle overseas merchants obtain trading licence operate territory trader harvesting ivory sell overseas clark levied export tax regulating local trade clark encouraged people paths villages repeatedly defended slave raiding gangs troops expanded conferred titles including king chief caused considerable annoyance portuguese clark settlement prominent trans river clash came clark demonstrated strength army fort garrison pulling portuguese flag running place returned leaving british flag flying point attempt stop portuguese garrison returning portuguese arrested clark point according story released native refused guard saying great man arrested similar tale captured deported guard portuguese soldiers men found journey clark ended escorting according clark indigenous followers force flight simply enemy leader bloody clark consolidated marrying daughter chief people according usual assortment wives relocated north confluence established village named settlement portuguese lived small stone fort built writing historian described clark sphere influence far westwards southwards contact established designed occupy develop area immediately north ultimate goal aiding rhodes dream cape cairo railway british territory having firm hold company began officially calling domain sought expand influence north end regularly sent expeditions dubbed negotiate concessions local rulers found settlements major led expedition north main seat company administration meet chief ruled east day surprise small group warriors approached party west carrying letter message written english signed chief given body letter said author heard white man entertained recently wished provide wonders cease recalled heard man known years ago cape colony lived town years learnt story later unclear took clark invitation subsequently sought protection negotiated concessions neighbouring chiefs signed mining labour rights respective territory return specified fee clark wished use august clark wrote company administrator salisbury requesting company honour holdings copies concessions secured providing description gold mining prospects region clark criticised actions lieutenant colonel vicinity representing subsidiary occupied fighting wrote friendly terms natives necessary raise force seven thousand operate colonel administration country mistake country rich reef gold company took little notice clark continued vein acquiring similar concessions chiefs following years clark wrote company april copies concessions offer supply settlements contract labourers taken neighbouring chiefs populations said permission chiefs involved requested fee man said agreed monthly wage shillings worker plus food accommodation fuel having split concessions sections draw labour clark proposed provide salisbury workers eastern concessions west chiefs agreed provide workers contracts lasting months clark wrote attempt supply labour year round company wished decline fall april chief gave commissioner southern statement things asserted clark claiming company official collecting tax years clark labour mining concessions said agreed impression represented furthermore claimed clark prolific raped pregnant woman clark sees girl takes mistress days tired sends home said fathers husbands girls constantly complaining clark actions clark white man professed representing government chief asked company send genuine representative caused concerned clark continued authority begin investigating thoroughly situation complicated month company lawyers resolved courts salisbury held jurisdiction outside hear case brought clark july company administrator wrote cape_town report situation resident high commissioner briefly summarised charges clark requested permission hold court north supervision chiefs friendly company replied august legally pursue matter authority extended clark area august sub inspector barry interviewed said clark claims represent company said clark visited previous week told men ready work south river month told clark connection said clark workers readily kind scheme suggested company wished comment relevant clark alleged sexual misconduct established forts north west bringing company control said concessions gave authority area demanded company pay said clark documents illegal refused deal offered compensation form differs source man knew clark personally 1920s colonel given farms compensation 1920s business acquaintance writes company promised grants land right reserve mining claims clark reluctantly accepted compensation realised challenge travel great distance possibly england invest heavily court case sure winning later life death clark successful farmer experimenting growing rubber cotton plants previously absent area cotton plantation developed years abandoned heavy rain destroyed entire crop remained farm late 1910s gave sold catholic missionaries moved largest settlements lived rest life retaining nickname helped develop businesses events acted partner licensed brewery alongside pillars society days according owned automobiles dark green ford according elderly remained highly respected indigenous people called settle disputes job personnel manager local dedicated final years writing book life manuscript lost house burned clark alleged orchestrated fire stop publishing information early days company rule died heart disease december aged buried protestant section town cemetery modest savings possessed time death left sister according clark embodied pioneering spirit time object legend fellow led wild tough life turned bush writes endured local vernacular word roughly meaning boss use 1970s life conclude experienced person transition bush capitalism
John Harrison Clark