New Zealand, (1849-1914)
The Pig Hunt
- We raised the boar from his ferny lair;
- Then he showed his tusks, and bade us dare
- To approach his den and risk our lives;
- And tore our dogs, and defied our knives;
- But an unseen bullet struck him down,
- And loaded we bore his flesh to town.
- A savoury dish, we all agreed,
- Was roasted flesh of the wild-pig breed.
Editor’s Note:
Because of the same name and inadequate record keeping, Robert Noble Adams, the author of The Counterfeit Seal is often confused with his son, Robert Noble Adams (1875-1958). The son was educated at the University of Otago, where he also studied surgery and medicine, and received his degrees. In 1901, he was appointed house surgeon to the Auckland Hospital, and was subsequently engaged in locum tenens work in Otago. He was surgeon-captain of the Takaka Mounted Rifles, and was surgeon of the local lodges and courts of the Oddfellows, Druids, and Foresters.
About the Poet:
Robert Noble Adams, (1849-1914), was a New Zealand publisher, author and inventor. He was born in New Zealand to Scotch/Irish emigrant parents. In 1865, Adams commenced work as a runner for the Otago Daily Times. His dedication was such that in 1880 he became the publisher for the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company, a position he would hold over a thirty-year period until his retirement in 1908.
Adams was also a dedicated member of the Independent Order of Good Templars (I. O. G. T) achieving the status of Dunedin Grand Chief Templar. Adams was incredibly active in advancing the Temperance and Prohibition Movements throughout the Otago region. In 1896 Adams was elected chairman of the Temperance Political Committee. [DES-08/15]