They Beheld The Stream
Like A "White Cord" At The Bottom, And So Far Down (Probably 300 Feet)
That They Became Giddy, And Were Fain To Go Away Holding On To The Ground.
Now, though the edge of the rock over which the river falls does not show
wearing more than three
Feet, and there is no appearance of the opposite wall
being worn out at the bottom in the parts exposed to view,
yet it is probable that, where it has flowed beyond the walls,
the sides of the fissure may have given way, and the parts out of sight
may be broader than the "white cord" on the surface. There may even be
some ramifications of the fissure, which take a portion of the stream
quite beneath the rocks; but this I did not learn.
If we take the want of much wear on the lip of hard basaltic rock
as of any value, the period when this rock was riven is not geologically
very remote. I regretted the want of proper means of measuring and marking
its width at the falls, in order that, at some future time,
the question whether it is progressive or not might be tested.
It seemed as if a palm-tree could be laid across it from the island.
And if it is progressive, as it would mark a great natural drainage
being effected, it might furnish a hope that Africa will one day become
a healthy continent. It is, at any rate, very much changed
in respect to its lakes within a comparatively recent period.
At three spots near these falls, one of them the island in the middle,
on which we were, three Batoka chiefs offered up prayers and sacrifices
to the Barimo. They chose their places of prayer within the sound
of the roar of the cataract, and in sight of the bright bows in the cloud.
They must have looked upon the scene with awe. Fear may have
induced the selection. The river itself is to them mysterious.
The words of the canoe-song are,
"The Leeambye! Nobody knows
Whence it comes and whither it goes."
The play of colors of the double iris on the cloud, seen by them elsewhere
only as the rainbow, may have led them to the idea that this was
the abode of Deity. Some of the Makololo, who went with me near to Gonye,
looked upon the same sign with awe. When seen in the heavens
it is named "motse oa barimo" - the pestle of the gods.
Here they could approach the emblem, and see it stand steadily above
the blustering uproar below - a type of Him who sits supreme -
alone unchangeable, though ruling over all changing things. But, not aware
of His true character, they had no admiration of the beautiful and good
in their bosoms. They did not imitate His benevolence, for they were
a bloody, imperious crew, and Sebituane performed a noble service
in the expulsion from their fastnesses of these cruel "Lords of the Isles".
Having feasted my eyes long on the beautiful sight, I returned to my friends
at Kalai, and saying to Sekeletu that he had nothing else worth showing
in his country, his curiosity was excited to visit it the next day.
I returned with the intention of taking a lunar observation
from the island itself, but the clouds were unfavorable,
consequently all my determinations of position refer to Kalai.
(Lat. 17d 51' 54" S., long. 25d 41' E.) Sekeletu acknowledged to feeling
a little nervous at the probability* of being sucked into the gulf
before reaching the island. His companions amused themselves
by throwing stones down, and wondered to see them diminishing in size,
and even disappearing, before they reached the water at the bottom.
-
* In modern American English, the word "possibility" is more appropriate here,
and elsewhere in the text where "probability" is used. - A. L., 1997.
-
I had another object in view in my return to the island. I observed
that it was covered with trees, the seeds of which had probably
come down with the stream from the distant north, and several of which
I had seen nowhere else, and every now and then the wind wafted
a little of the condensed vapor over it, and kept the soil
in a state of moisture, which caused a sward of grass, growing as green
as on an English lawn. I selected a spot - not too near the chasm,
for there the constant deposition of the moisture nourished
numbers of polypi of a mushroom shape and fleshy consistence,
but somewhat back - and made a little garden. I there planted
about a hundred peach and apricot stones, and a quantity of coffee-seeds.
I had attempted fruit-trees before, but, when left in charge
of my Makololo friends, they were always allowed to wither,
after having vegetated, by being forgotten. I bargained for a hedge
with one of the Makololo, and if he is faithful, I have great hopes
of Mosioatunya's abilities as a nursery-man. My only source of fear
is the hippopotami, whose footprints I saw on the island.
When the garden was prepared, I cut my initials on a tree, and the date 1855.
This was the only instance in which I indulged in this piece of vanity.
The garden stands in front, and, were there no hippopotami, I have no doubt
but this will be the parent of all the gardens which may yet be
in this new country. We then went up to Kalai again.
On passing up we had a view of the hut on the island where my goods
had lain so long in safety. It was under a group of palm-trees,
and Sekeletu informed me that, so fully persuaded were most of the Makololo
of the presence of dangerous charms in the packages, that, had I not returned
to tell them the contrary, they never would have been touched.
Some of the diviners had been so positive in their decisions on the point,
that the men who lifted a bag thought they felt a live kid in it.
The diviners always quote their predictions when they happen to tally
with the event.
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