Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-11
sneclal Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
VI ONDON Jan. 1.--Your genuine
soldier of fortune usually is a
shy, modest Individual, woe
fully hacking in self-apprecia-
ton. AS rule one finds him totally
unlike the mental picture one has form
ed of him. Sir Claude Champion de
Crespikny, who, after 40 years of dare
devil recklessness, is preparing, at Co.
for dash across the hitherto uneN-
plored Kalahari Desert of South Afri-
ca. proves no exception to the rule
He has had more narrow escapes than
he has inches OF stature to boast Oh
were he inclined that way--yet when
| met him at his London club by APP
pojntment To put together some kind of
n connected story of his wonderful ca
rcer. he opened up with the amazing
assertion that he didn't think he had
ANYTHING of interest to tell. This from
q veteran who probably is the best eN-
ample in England of the man who lives
for adventure alone and who, in the
comparative quiet of English lie, Is
like a duck out of water.
Just why Sir Claude should risk MS
life IN crossing the Kalahari Desert is
not plain. He does not know himself.
Very probably II Is because it has par
red all the attempts that heretofore
haye been made to explore it, No white
,nan ever has reached the central re-
gions. and the prospect OF hitherto
,Intnsted adventures lures the intrepid
shirt OF this English baroneL ne
,,.octical non-eXistence OF water in thia
s,.,,ond "Death Valley" does not delts
him. Quite the opposite, for II seems
TO add Zest TO the trip. II formed
the point of jest from mis- lips wnen
he mentioned it,
AFTER BIG GAME.
II don't mind admitting" he said.
as he outlined his plans, that my chief
interest In seeing the famous kalahall
Desert Is not exploration. l viii leave
that end OF the business TO MAJ. j. X
Scott, late OF the Third Hussars, VINO
win accompany me. We VIII nave a
third member, out the man we nave
In mind has not yet been sounded
and so / am not at liberty TO mention
his name. But ! go primarily for big
game shooting, Around the edges OF
the desert ali kinds OF African game
abound, and that's where / expect 10
get the return for my time and trou-
BILE
6OO-MILE TREK.
"The date of the departure has not
been decided yet, hut II will be some
time next spring. We shall start from
Palachwo, at the eastern margin of
the desert, work due east for about
200 miles, and then southwark TO the
junction of the Nosob and the MOlopc
rivers. The total distance covered will
be something like 900 miles.
"'rhe fact that a large pogtion of the
desert II waterless viii of course make
progression slow. We shall use camels,
which are known TO thrive on the bor-
ders of this peculiar region. Water
posts viii be established In chosen
| places and supplied from previous posts
| by means OF camel transport We 40
: not expect 10 make more than 10 miles
day, so YOU see the fun trip across
The desert win take us all OF two
months.
LOOKS FOR COAL.
Mai scott wants to look for coal, he
was ON the borders Of the desert sew
eral years ago with his regiment. and
| his curiosity was aroused Now he
| wants 20 satisfy H. His stories Of thu
| good shooting there have aroused mA
| curiosity, or | might say, have mad,
| my mouth water. Danger2 Oh yes
there's danger OF our being very thlrtsI
sometimes
DESERT OF THE DEAD.
Although sir Claude dismissed M,
anVstlpn as 10 the risks Ia A rathol
] airy fashion, II he ana his two equal,