. The lake regions of central Africa. A record of modern discovery . f the stream, cautiouslypaddling and punting from rock to rock, and takingadvantage of the eddies, the canoe was grounded ona small island on the very lip of the Victoria Falls—a memorable spot, where Livingstone planted somefruit trees, and, for the only time on his travels,carved his initials, in remembrance of his visit. Even here it could not be seen what became of thevast body of water, until the explorer had crept upto the dizzy edge of the chasm and peeped over intothe dark gulf below. A river over a mile in widthpreci
. The lake regions of central Africa. A record of modern discovery . f the stream, cautiouslypaddling and punting from rock to rock, and takingadvantage of the eddies, the canoe was grounded ona small island on the very lip of the Victoria Falls—a memorable spot, where Livingstone planted somefruit trees, and, for the only time on his travels,carved his initials, in remembrance of his visit. Even here it could not be seen what became of thevast body of water, until the explorer had crept upto the dizzy edge of the chasm and peeped over intothe dark gulf below. A river over a mile in widthprecipitated itself sheer down into a rent extendingat right angles across its bed, and only eighty yardsacross! The walls of the cleft were cut as cleanly asif done by a knife, and no projecting crag broke thed< cent of the falling waters. Four rocks or smallislands on the edge of the falls divide them into fiveseparate cascades, and in front of each fall rises oneof the tall pillars of Bmoke, which are visible inflood time at a distance of ten miles. Only at low. RAINBOWS OVER THE ABYSS. 233 water can the island on which Livingstone stood beapproached ; for when the river is high an attempt toreach it would infallibly result in a plunge into thethundering abyss. Against the black, glittering wallscf the precipice opposite the falls, two, three, and some-times four rainbows, each forming three-quarters of acircle, are painted on the ascending clouds of spray,,which, continually rushing up from the depths below,lick off the rills of water streaming down the sides ofthe rock, and carry them high in air in the shape ofvapour. A fine rain is constantly falling from theseclouds, and the tops of the cliffs are covered withdense, dripping, evergreen vegetation. But the greatsisht is the cataract itself. The rent seems to beof comparatively recent formation, for the edge ofthe rock has been worn back only three feet. Overthis the water sweeps in unbroken sheets, its glassyouter surfac
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1881
