Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-04-12
,HAae Rival OF Niagara.

Livingston, the celebrated traveller in his
recent book of his travels in Africa thus de-
scribes 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 fruit in golden clus-
ters, grow abundanuy upon the banks.
Many flowers peep out near the water edge.
But these charming islands are soon sue
ceeded by dangerous rapids. 1t is only
when the river is very low that they can be
passed in safety. Elephants and hippopota-
mi are often swept over the falls, and, of
course, smashed to pulp. In entering the
race OF waters, the party was requested not
to speak, us talking might impair the virtue
Of the :" medicine" There were places
whore the utmost exertlons Of the canoe men
had to be put forth to force the boat to the
only safe part of the rapid, and to prevent
it from sweeping down broadside on. At
times, it seemed as if nothing could save
the canoe from dashing headlong 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 threat
ened danger.
On reaching the falls, a spectacle Of indie
scribable magniflcence was presented to
the travellers. The cataract is formed by q
crack across the river, the bed Of the Fam
best, al 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 the
Zambesi, which was found to be, by meas
urement, little over ! 1850 yards, but this
number was retained to mark the year in
which the fall was for the first time careful
ly examined. The width at the narrowest
point, was found to be so yards, and at its
widest somewhat more. Into this chasm,
twice as deep as Niagara Falls, the river, o
mile wide, rolls with deafening roar, form
ing the Victoria cataract 1t is broken into
several partial falls by rocks and islands,
in all making upward of 300 feet of per-
ennial falls. The whole body of water rolls
clear over quite unbroken, but after de-
scent Of ten or more feet the entire mass
suddenly becomes like huge sheet Of driv-
en- snow. Pieces Of water leap from it in
the form Of comets with tails streaming be-
hind, till the whole snowy sheet is changed
into myriads Of rushing, leaping, aqueous
comets. The amount Of water is probably
exceeded by Niagara, though not in the
months when the Zambesi is in food. This
vast body Of water necessarily incloses in
It's descent large volume of air, which,
forced into the cleft to an unknown depth,
rebounds, and rushes up loaded with gapcr
TO form three or even six columns, IS if Of
steam, visible at the distance of Il miles.
On reaching the height of 200 feet from the
level Of the river, this vapor becomes con-
densed into perpetual shower Of fine
rain.
THE " BOOMERANG THE United States
consul at Australia has forwarded to Gen.
Spinner specimen Of the Australian
" boomerang" being weapon of war
used also in the chase. 1t consists of q
heavy wooden club about eight inches long,
three wide, and one-half inch thick fiat on
one side and convex on the other bent,
without moving the fiat side out of its own
plane, either into an arc or into an obtuse |
angle. The club is thrown fiat side down,
spinning with great velocity, and it will |
either return to its owner or return to the |
right or left, according TO its first position.
1t skins upon the air ike bird with the
wings expanded, the rotation causing the
plane Of rotation to resist change Of direc-
ton, and thus avoiding those sudden and /
cApricious movements observed on fat stones /
or plates Of metal when thrown edgewise /
through the air. Naval architects have
attempted to apply the principle Of the
g boomerang" to screw steamships, but 50
far the idea has not found favor with the
shin -huilders