Surprising literary ventures | 22 October 2005

David Cameron (1950) by George Frederick Clarke

David Cameron is what one might call a hatchet job. Written by one G. F. Clarke, it’s the tale of a simple Scottish lad sold into slavery in the New World, who escapes and leads a life of adventure in the wild fighting of the various tribes, finally becoming a chief. Among the big beasts he has to slay are the bloodhounds that follow him as he attempts to throw off his pursuers (see picture). Clarke is particularly vivid in his descriptions of Cameron’s early experiences of tribal initiation:

Now I was handed a pipe … I glanced at Tomah. He nodded encouragingly, so I took a puff, smothered a cough and gave it back to the Chief. Then the pipe passed around the circle of men, each one gravely taking a puff. When all had finished, the Chief again raised me to my feet, embraced me and said: ‘Now, Kuluwazu P’sazum, you are my son, and a member of our tribe.