Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-22

What a Missionary Observed in
Southern Africa.
A Country Where Beautiful Rainbows Are
Perpetual-The Ancient Realm Of the
Queen Of Sheba-Gold-Mfning in
Zululand Doubtful Venture.
(Chicago Herald.l

rev. CQdfieS CTOoueTDeESns, .. D.. OF the
Zambesi Mission, South Africa, in talk as
to the wonders Of the Ozark continent,
said that what had impressed him more
than anything else in the way of scenery is
what is known as the Victoria Falls, about
a thousand miles from the delta Of the
Zambesi, on the east coast. For several
days travel towards the actual location,
the journey being necessarily slow, can be
seen at times the rising spray, like the
smoke-clouds of an immense fire. When
within days travel, and at least three
miles from the Falls, one can hear the So
norous roar Of the distant cataract. After
you have passed Kobongo and Thaben Riv-
ersthe way is over layers of lava and basalt,
and when within about two or two and a
half miles of the Falls there is an emf
hence where, through the dense forest
the river can be seen like a bright, silvery
ray. Stupendous columns Of spray arise
from the abyssai falls and the sound of the
waters is that of riotous storm. Nearly
in straight line, following the equator,
the Zambesi stands level before channel
like abyss from six to eight hundred feet
wide and three hundred and ninety deep,
though the hunters claim it is five hundred
feet deep. From the southern bank on this
straight wall of basaltic rock-frost is one
fall of one hundred and ninety-two feet
wide then follows rocky island three
hundred feet wide; again second cataract
one thousand three hundred and twenty
feet in breadth. Another island of three or
four hundred feet separates this from the
remaining falls extending over the basaltic
wall from six to seven thousand feet. In
the rainy months-December and January
all these falls form one enormous cat
aract, leaving only the steepest rocks of the
islands visible. The extreme extent of these
falls is about mile and one-half, and the
waters have so followed out the channel
that, when a sudden gust of wind allows it,
the visitor discovers, beneath the ordinary
view of four or five hundred feet depth, the
tops of towering rocks which show doubled
abyss, somewhat over half the length
from west to east of the channel. The lifted
waters rush out in wild commotion, foam
ing and whirling through a gorge only
three hundred and twenty eight feet wide,
in which the stream is raised suddenly from
the abyssal depth of five hundred to three
hundred and ninety feet, and issuing from
that narrow gorge the outlet canal spreads
at once to eight hundred feet, thence runs
in short angular zigzags distance of a few
miles, where again in the soft soil the Zam-
best attains its average breadth of good
mile. Rainbows in that sunny land of
three hundred and fifty clear days in the
year are perpetual and infinite, and even
five or six heavy storms a day in the sum-
mer time do not cloud the remaining hours.
Damp and heat produce the most lux
urious vegetation. Palm, boabab, kool-
booms, mapanIs and mimosas overgrow,
the densest tropical underbrush, and there
is the mysterious abode of the elephant,
hippopotamus, rhinocerous, water-ante-
lope, monkey and gorilla, and thousands Of
magnificent plumaged though silent, birds.
Roads there are, but the muddy paths Of
the huge mammalia sink deep in the soaked
swamps. The path is often over lava hills,
through thick, high grass, where, cross
ing the path towards the river, the tracks,
or ''spoors'' of elephants can be often
met with. Only one lady, Mrs. Williams,
has ever visited the spot, and the courage
Gus lady alone escaped the Zambesi fever
out Of a whole caravan of companions and
servants. This was in 1893, and the expedi-
ton must have cost at least ten thousand
dollars 1t is one of the grandest freaks
of nature, and one of those sublime
sceneries which the Zambesi missionaries,
after dreary solitude and loathsome scenes
of all kinds, find sometimes on their weary
and laborious way wherein to rest their
eyes.
Speaking of the reported discovery of
gold in Zululand by Herr Einwald, Father
said he supposed it referred
to Zululand proper, that is the Zulu coun-
try, north of Natal, and the Ingela River,
on the southeast coast of South Africa If
such it must be both quartz and alluvial
gold, and, at first labor for the whites will
be difficult, as Zululand is far from being
settled or conquered, and even black labor
will become very high, and private mining
will prove impossible, as it did in the
Diamond fields Companies will have to
be founded, and there will require great
capital if even the Zulus allow mining.
This would be the third or fourth discovery
of gold in South Africa. In 1869 Mauch dis
covered gold at the Tat River There was
founded the London and Limpopo Mining
Company, limited, which was abandoned
after few years. Those mines were rich
but too expensive to work. A new company
the TAFT mines in 1880, and the
Did settlers came back also in 1888 and 1884
Between 1870 and 1850 gold was found, both
alluvial and quartz, in Mashorna Land,
north of the Limpopo. Umzila-Zulus and |
Mashoenas offer alluvial gold for sale, and |
there are rich mines there. Alluvial |
ha - hut
-he Zulu Kings, Lobengula and Umzila,
Keep their country closed, and if any com |
oany be allowed it would be Phillip, Fair |
oairn, Wesbeech & Co., because those are |
Did settlers and well up in the ways of the |
iribes.
To bring miners out into those regions of
he interior necessitateS a great expense
md danger. The third mines started were
n the East Transvaal, and were in full
working orderinI1SS3 and 1884, said to be very
productive, but requiring great capital
fold is also to be found, as well as copper
md silver, in Matabela Land, Amabopo
Mountain. The gold region extends proba-
'ly in two layers following the East African
oast from southwest TO southeast between
he Transvaal and mouths of the Zambesi,
hence over TO Zanzibar.
From the name of the Sabi River and the
:nown presence of gold thereabouts, some
south African settlers have thought that
hat coast was once the realm of the Queen
f Saba or Sheba. II think" added Father
that from my experience
f those murderous localities may counsel |
very one TO wait more information before
an emigration for gold or dia-