15 
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20ru, 1906. 
Kalahari Desert and @gamiland. 
BY 
Mr. H. W. HODSON. 
Illustrated with Lantern Slides. 
i is a far cry from the “ great thirsts” of the Kalahari desert, 
where one cuts open the paunch of an animal to see if there 
is anything drinkable inside, to a lantern lecture to the Natural 
History Society in civilized Hove. The gap has recently been 
traversed by Mr. H. W. Hodson, son of the Dr. Hodscn who 
has been a well known member of the Hove Town Council. Mr. 
Hodson is an official of the Colonial Office, and has been stationed 
in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Out there he has had a close 
personal acquaintance with the various peoples and with the 
country, while he seems to have had a good time hunting 
game. He has even shot a lion. Mr. Hodson, now home 
on holiday, told the Natural History Society of some of his 
adventures and observations, adding greatly to the interest of 
what he had to say by excellent photographs shown by the 
lantern, Very modestly did he tell how he became possessed of 
the splendid lion skin he was able to show.’ He heard a rare 
commotion among the baboons in the forest, and learning that 
it meant a lion was on the warpath, he went in search. He saw 
the lion in a great rage. He had killed a baboon, and the other 
baboons were teasing him, in revenge, and making him very 
savage. But the first time he saw Mr. Hodson the lion, 
apparently rather over-wrought, bolted. The second time, Mr. 
Hodson came suddenly upon the great beast. He was fairly 
cornered ; impenetrable scrub behind, a lion in front, growling, 
and getting ready to spring. ‘TI felt,” said Mr. Hodson, “that 
it was no place for me. I fired, and, luckily, my first shot did 
all that was necessary.” And he gave a vocal imitation of the 
noise the animal made as, checked in its spring, it rolled over and 
died. Mr. Hodson had another curious hunting adventure, 
which, he admitted, sounded like a traveller’s tale. He shot 
a hartebeest, putting two bullets into it. The animal fell, 
apparently dead. He went up to it, and started cutting its 
throat. He had just severed the wind pipe, when he was called 
away. On returning he was amazed to see the animal j ump up 
and run off. Assuming that it could not go far, he and a 
