The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-12

THE RIVAL OF decentralization
the celebrated traveller, in his recent book OF
travels in Africa, thus describes the most
wonderful geographical discovery of modern
times:
The Victoria Falls of the Zambesi river
are among the most remarkable curiosities OF
the interior of Africa. For several miles
! above the cataract the river is smooth and
tranquil, flowing by lovely islands thickly
covered with tropical vegetation. Lofty
palm trees, with their fruits in golden clus-
tiers, grow abundantly upon the banks
| Many flowers peep out near the waters edge
But these charming islands are soon succeed
ed by dangerous rapids. 1t is only when the
river is very low that they can be passed in
safety. Elephants and Hippopotami are
| often swept over the fall, and of course,
smashed to pulp.
| In entering the race of waters, the party
was requested not to speak, "as talking
might impair the virtue of medicine" There
| were places where the utmost eXertions of
the canoemen had to be put forth to force
the boat to the only safe part of the rapid,
and to prevent it from sweeping down broad
side. At times, it seemed as it nothing could
save the canoe from dashing head-long
against the rocks, but just at the nick of
. time the word was passed to the steersman
who, with ready pole, turned the craft little
aside, and it glided swiftly past the threaten
ed danger
On reaching the falls a spectacle of indie
scribable magnificencc was presented to the
travellers. The cataract is formed by a crack
across the river, the bed of the Zambesi, at
that place. The lips of the crack are still
quite sharp, except about three feet of the
edge over which the river rolls The walls
go sheer down from the lips without any
projecting crag. The cleft is in length a few
yards more than the breadth of Zambesi
which was found to be, by measurement, a
little over 1850 yards, but this number was
retained to mark the year in which the fall
for the first time was examined The width,
at the narrowest point, was found to be 80
yards and at the widest somewhat more
Into this chasm, twice as deep as Niagara
Falls, the river, a mile wide, rolls with deaf
ening roar, forming the Victoria cataract
1t is broken into partial falls by rocks and
islands, in all making 2,7OO feet of perennial
falls. The whole body of water rolls clear
over quite unbroken, but after a descent of
ten or more feet, the entire mass suddenly
becomes like huge sheet of driven snow
Pieces of water leap from it in the form of
comets, with tails streaming behind. till the
whole pyramid is changed into myriads of
rushing, leaplng acqueous comets The
amount is probably exceeded by Niagara,
though not In the months when the Zambesi
is in flood.
The vast body of water necessarily encloses
in its descent large volume of air, which,
forced into the cleft to an unknown denth
rebounds and PUSHES up loaded with vapor
to form three or even six columns, as if of
steam, visible at the distance of 81 miles,
On reaching the height of 200 feet from the
level of the river, this vapor becomes con-
dcnsed into perpetual shower of fine rain. |
Mr.. Lever tells a good anecdote of an |
Irlshmanfs giving the password at the battle
of Fontenjoy, at which the great SAKE was |
Marshal. The password is Saxe-now |
don't forget it, Pat" said the Colonel
=" Sacks Faith and will not. Wasn't my |
father a miller 2"
Who goes there 2" cried the sentinel. af. |
ter he had arrived at his post.
Pat was as wise as an owl, and in sort
whispered howl replied:
- BAGS yer honor p,