THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED

Irony is idiosyncratic, and at times I just want to lay back and have a good laugh. Why, you may ask? Well, its a paradox of sorts isn't it? The Hunter and The Hunted, I mean, especially if you have read Ursula K. Le Guin's - Earthsea Trilogy comprising of the following chapters/books; Wizard of Earthsea, Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore. The story tells of the passage into adulthood, where Ged the mage, in his apprenticeship days, through sheer vanity and impatience, unleashes an unspeakable shadow who continues to hunt him throughout his 'coming of adulthood'. No one can help him, save himself and he travels the world of Earthsea, an outcast of sorts, in search for an answer.

In one of the chapters, called "The Hunter and The Hunted", Ged literally turns the tables on the shadow, hence "The Hunted becomes The Hunter". Its a very interesting read, as the author actually discusses the age old elements of Balance, Equilibrium, Black and White, Life and Death. As the theme of the book flows, it is evident that: for every action, there is a trade off, just like Einsteins theory of relativity.

Mr. Theodore Rathbone Hubback, the younger brother of Arthur, had applied to come to Malaya as an Assistant Engineer for the Public Works Department. He was later appointed as District Engineer for Klang and then transferred as an Assistant Engineer, Malayan Railways. I appears odd to me that he was also transferred at a later stage as a District Engineer to Seremban, Public Works Department and posted his resignation letter to the Colonial Office with the effective date as 16 July 1902. (Source : Malaysian National Archives). As we are currently doing more in depth research into the life and times of The Hubback Brothers, we will reveal more detailed information in the future.

It's now 20 August 2008. I am sitting down with Yvonne in her living room waiting for her children, Val and Peter. She begins to tell me of her Uncle Theodore whom she adores and I can see why. After doing some digging into Theodore's past, an image of his character is beginning to form. A very tall, slender, good looking man whom never ceases to fight for the causes that he believes in. Diplomatic and kind, he was loved by all that he met, but do not let his mannerism fool you for Theodore can be extremely passionate about his works. Even during his earlier days and from the chronological letters lay a picture of a man in search of his "true meaning" on this mundane plane.

An avid game hunter, Theodore was very quick to learn the rules of the Jungle and made many friends with the local tribes. Not only was he keen on game hunting, he was also very observant about wildlife and how it had impacted on its surroundings, and this spurred Theodore to travel outside of Malaya to study more on wildlife.

Just in this short passage, I am of the opinion that Theodore is very much like Ged the mage. From being a famous game hunter, in his later years, Theodore actually sought to protect the very thing that provided him with countless hours of pleasure. He actually embraced the other end of his spectrum and like the ending of The Wizard of Earthsea's Trilogy, which I have summarized, "Ged called on his shadow, naming it with his own true name, and in embracing his shadow, they became one. No mage nor shadows will be able to posses Ged, as he now knows his own true self, both in darkness and light."

This is not the end of Theodore's story, but just the beginning of our journey .......

DID YOU KNOW?

That Theodore was also very active in chronicling his works as a Hunter and Conservationist. Whats most peculiar, is that his works was actually quoted in some fairly recent works which I have enclosed. To me, it is a fitting tribute to a man of his stature, showcasing The Hunter and The Hunted.

Page 12 of The Australian Shooters Journal, Vol 7, Issue 1, 2005.
Please click on the picture for a larger view.

Page 13 of The Australian Shooters Journal, Vol 7, Issue 1, 2005.
Please click on the picture for a larger view.

The Australian Shooters Journal is a publication of the Sporting Shooter's Association of Australia Inc (SSAA Inc) and is for members only. Please visit their website at http://www.ssaa.org.au.