On board the Moura, on the trip down the harbor, Lieutenant Tubman was the recipient of a splendid pair of extremely light field glasses, the metal parts of which were composed of aluminium, the case and strap being of khaki-colored leather. The glasses were presented by the teachers of the George street School and the Committee. Mr A. McLean made the presentation, and Mr Tubman, in replying, said that the present was most apropos, and might, for all they knew, be some day the means of saving life.
THE BOER WAR.
FOURTH CONTINGENT LETTERS.
A number of letters from members of the fourth contingent have been received by Mr Macdonald, schoolmaster at Ravensbourne, who has. kindly permitted us to make extracts as under: —
Lieutenant Tubman describes Beira as a terrible place. Every other place is a bar, as the hotels are called, and in each bar are from three to 20 girls of every nation under the sun. These bars close at 2 a.m., and are open all Sunday, on which day the shops are also open. On the Saturday before Lieutenant Tubman's letter was penned the Governor of Beira gave a ball to the officers of the contingents. -Otago Daily Times, 7/8/1900.
LETTERS FROM THE FRONT
A letter from Lieutenant Tubman has been received by Mr J. McPhee, of the George street School, dated August 22, from which we are permitted to make the following extracts: —
Mafeking is a miserable little place from what I saw of it. The whole business of the siege, looking at it from the point of view of the besiegers, must have been boomed and over-rated tremendously; one rush by the Boers, and all would have been over, but they are such cowardly wretches when it comes to a down right willing go. If you could only see the place you would wonder at the importance put upon it, and why it was defended so tenaciously — for no other reason, I suppose, than the principle of the thing. It was not the relief of the place so much as the relief of B. P. (Baden-Powell) and his men that roused the excitement and enthusiasm of the good people of Dunedin, I suppose. Well, we were hurried out of Mafeking in the direction of Zeerust. We have 25,000 men with us, and shortly after we crossed the border we were fired on, but no harm was done to our boys. The following day (the 16th) we got into action, and no doubt you have long ago heard the particulars of it. I was with Captain Fulton, and as soon as we reached the top of a kopje we received a volley that laid one poor chap low, and wounded three others. It was terribly warm work. As soon as they gave us the volley we took cover just on the ridge of a kopje, and settled down to business. My company had to cover Captain Fulton's retreat with the rest of the wounded who were able to get away. I had one close shave. A big Boer aimed point blank at me at about 100 yards. When I saw him aiming I thought it was winter with me, but he fired high and missed (flurried at the bayonet I suppose), the bullet going between the rim of my hat and my ear, it seemed to me by the whiz. Then my turn came, and.l laid him out on the rocks, dead as a stone. After that two of my men and I were cut off for an hour or so, and had to lie low, getting an occasional shot. We killed Snyman and seriously wounded a field cornet. A flag of truce came up in the morning and took their bodies away, and also the rest of the killed and wounded that they could not take away in their flight. Poor Harvey fell on the other side of the kopje from me — shot through the head. He never spoke a word — not even moved. I miss him very much, for he and I, as I told you before, have been chums ever since Forbury Park camp. I never witnessed anything in my life so pathetic as his burial.
We spent two nights and a day on the kopje — no blankets and very little food. I never felt the cold so much before, and we could not sleep for fear of being surprised. We were all pretty well knocked out, but are well again. The following day we had to retire for some reason or other, leaving our dearly-won position and poor Harvey's body behind. We executed our retirement in good order, but were again fighting all day after reaching Ottoshoop. Thank God, I have not been hit, and I can tell the sight of fellows being dropped by bullets not far from you makes one feel that he don't want any more kopjes to rush, as it certainly means "winter" for some more of us. As far as my men are concerned, only one was scratched. Yesterday I went back to the border with the wounded; we were fired on, but no harm was done. Tell the children that I have not time to write to them just now, and that I got letters from several of them. Glad to say I am well. You might regard this letter as a reply to the children at school, and read it to them. All my clothes are at Mafeking, and what I stand in are almost in rags. You would not know some of us if you saw us for dirt, etc., and general uncouthness. We are on three-quarter rations just now, and when I was at leisure to-day did some naturalist work, and bagged a fowl. I am now waiting and watching it carefully till 5 p.m. I laid the specimen out with a stick. No naturalist ever guarded a unique specimen like I watch that hen.
Mr J. Waddell Smith, of the High street School has also received a letter from Lieutenant Tubman, but it contains little beyond the news given in the above extracts. Lieutenant Tubman states that so strong was the feeling among the men at Captain Harvey's death that he pities the Boers if ever the men get within reach of them. But they cannot get near the Boers. It exasperates the men to be shot at all day from all quarters, and not see anyone. Lieutenant Tubman writes very strongly about the Boer women fighting with the men. He declares that while none of the men would willingly injure a woman, yet if the latter carry a gun and use it with the men they must expect to be treated by those fighting against them as if they were men. -Otago Daily Times, 12/10/1900.
Lieutenant Tubman, of the Fourth Contingent, has resigned his position on the staff of the George Street School, in order to take up his permanent residence in South Africa. It is understood that he has been appointed to a lieutenancy in the Rhodesian Field Force. -Star, 8/12/1900.
PROMOTION OF LIEUTENANT TUBMAN.
A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.
A cablegram has been received in town intimating that Lieutenant Tubman, of the fourth contingent, has been promoted to the rank of captain, with an appointment on the staff of Colonel Grey. A private letter received by Mr J. Waddell Smith from Captain Tubman, dated Vontersdorp, April 14, indicates that he had made up his mind to stay and join the seventh contingent. At the date of writing he was in charge of a number of men knocked up, and horses, which needed nursing. Ventersdorp is 32 miles distant from the railway. It is in telegraphic communication with Fotchefhstroom, but the line was cut daily by some of the Boers as soon as it was repaired. Captain Tubman had to provide the escort for the line repairers. The writer says that the aspect of affairs is unchanged. Smuts, De la Bey, and others continue to shift about, but they will not fight. There is conclusive proof that the burgher would surrender if he had a free hand, but he hasn't. The only thing keeping the war going now are the Cape Colony and Bechuanaland rebels, who know they will be punished if they surrender or are caught. The British have been successful all round lately, and the increased activity has made the Boers very shy. Referring to the glorious affair of the 24th March, the writer says it seems almost incredible that so large a capture could be made, and no one seriously hit. When the New Zealanders rode at them the Boers simply abandoned everything. Mention is made of the fact that Lieutenant J. R. Macdonald had gone for a trip to Johannesburg on a week's leave. -Otago Daily Times, 8/6/1901.
DEATH OF AN OTAGO OFFICER.
CAPTAIN TUBMAN SUCCUMBS TO ENTERIC.
News was received through the Premier yesterday of the death in the Transvaal on the 11th inst, of Captain R. G. Tubman, of the Seventh Contingent.
Captain Robert G. Tnbman was the son of Mr Frank Tubman, of Owaka, formerly of Beaumont, and was born in 1871. He was educated at the Beaumont School, but received his training as a pupil teacher at Mornington School under Mr Kyle. He was a student at the Dunedin Training College, and acted for some time as relieving teacher. He was appointed head master of the Moeraki School in 1890. After five years faithful service, desiring to attend the University classes, he, in 1895, applied for and obtained the position of fourth assistant at the George street School, and that position he held when he joined the Fourth Contingent. When at Moeraki Mr Tubman took a great interest in the Maoris there, and did everything possible to assist both young and old, with the result that he wns a general favourite among them, and when he was leaving for Dunedin he wns presented with a greenstone weapon which was greatly prized by the chief who owned it. It was while at Moeraki that Mr Tubman joined the North Otago Mounted Rifles, and he took a keen interest in all that appertained to volunteering. Here also he was married to Miss Bessie Culling, daughter of Mrs Culling, of Hillgrove, but he had the misfortune. to lose his young wife very shortly after removing into town. In the George street School and the University he made many warm friends, and he was greatly esteemed for his kindly disposition and unassuming manner. When he was appointed lieutenant in the Fourth Contingent in recognition of his valuable services in Forbury camp, he was presented by the teachers of Otago with a horse and a pair of field gloves, and the Tailoresees' Union presented him with a second horse. He served with the Fourth Contingent during the whole time they were in South Africa, and was acting-captain for a period of nearly six months. Many of our readers will recall descriptions of the work of that contingent which appeared in our columns from time to time from the pen of Captain Tubman. Finding campaigning agreeing with him, and liking the climate of South Africa, he resigned his position in the George street School, which had been kept open for him and offered for service with the Seventh Contingent. He was accepted and joined the Seventh.on its arrival in South Africa as captain. Shortly after he was sent on a special mission to bring a train with specie from Capetown to Johannesburg, and his success and the attention he gave to details so impressed General Garratt that he appointed him as provost marshal to his column. The latest letters received from Captain Tubman showed that he was in Johannesburg attending the trial of some rebels captured near Klerksdorp. He was then in the best of health and spirits. On the receipt of news yesterday of the death the flag at the George street School was hoisted at half mast and general and sincere regret was felt by all who had known Captain Tubman. The sad news will be a severe blow to his parents, who lost their youngest daughter but a few months ago, and they will have the sympathy of the community generally in this second bereavement. -Otago Daily Times, 15/4/1902.
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