Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-10-04
VICTORIA FALLS.
One OF the Most BeantifuI Spectacle
In the World.

One OF the Most neantffuk Spectacle
In the World.
There Is n fine description OF Vic
toria falls I'm the Zambezi river I'm Il.
+. knights South Africa After the
War" The author says: The nature
OF the extraordinary volcanic assure
that created the falls cannot easily be
realized without reference 10 n map.
but at the point under consideration
the mighty Zambezi flows, roughly.
from north 10 south. At about half
mile above the falls the river Is n
mile and n half IN breadth. Then II
contracts, and the breadth at the falls
themselves Is a little over a mile. or.
TO be exact. 1896 yards And here.
20 one looking over the edge. the great
river seems suddenly TO come to an
end, no continuation OF its channel
being visible. The Zambezi FOR its
whole mile OF breadth thunders down
precipitously into n comparatively mar
row, profound trench or canyon. which
extends at right angles 90 the rivers
course from shore 10 shore. Beyond
the falls one Is faced 10y the perpen-
dicular wall OF the canyon. Below the
madly whirling spray obscures the
view OF the bottom OF the canyon.
and IL seems as II the whole mighty
Hood were falling into the center OF
the earth through this awful chasm.
But the river has its exit, a precip-
itouS cleft. only ten yards I'm breadth.
near the eastern end OF the canyon.
through which the whole or the con
tracted Zambezi rushes with incrcd-
ible speed, fury and confusion. form
ing at this point what is called the
Boiling Pot, surely one OF this earth's
most terrific scenes.
Il believe" the author adds thar ON
that day was gazing at the most per
fectly beautiful spectacle OF ali this
beautiful world. IL was the lovely
tenderness Of the rich coloring. bathed
in that translucent atmosphere OF thin.
pearly haze, rather than the awful
majesty OF the scene that impressed
one. At our feet, far below. the rag
Ing food Numbered away down the
canyon 10 the exit in the misty dis
lance. ON our left the line OF the cata-
ract, plunging into the swirilng spray
beneath, was clearly visible for some
way out with its white avalanches and
coruscating spray. and then gradually
became less distinct In the thin haze
until at last far or beyond Livingstone
island IL disappeared from our vision
In the luminous pearl-like mist that
formed the background TO all the land
scape.
'On our right, facing the cataract
doomed the 500 foot high wall OF the
canyon, topped by the lush green Rain
Aorest with its ever dripping branches.
And as We looked new wonders he
came gradually revealed to our won
uering gaze. l began TO perceive IN
hooks or the black preciplces halfway
down strange plants growing. rs In
happy confidence their fragile rainbow
hueu blossoms ever shaking In the
wind and driving spray. but safe and
unframed amid this eternal storm
And down the black cllnf wall on my
right saw hundreds OF tiny white
streamlets pouring. formed by the re-
turning spray from the Rain forest.
And as / watched them l discovered a |
strange thing.
These falling streams never reacbe5 |
the bottom of the chasm. They dropped |
into little cascades to about a third OF /
the way down, and then, as II defylng
me laws Of gravity, they literally turn +,
eu round and came back again. mount |
ing vertically. 1t was curious TO see
lheSe cascades. after breaking into
spray, appear TO hesitate and falter
and then begin to rise, first slowly. but
soon rapidly, shooting upward In whlrl-
ing foam columns and feathery foun-
taihs' being carried up by the htful
blasts Of cold air that the dropping cat
Aract forced out of the narrow chasm
INTO which 1t Numbered"