Itheredrew70Poundsofmysalary，paidmymenwithit，andpurchasedgoodsforthereturnjourneytoLinyantiThesebeingnowallexpended，theMakololoagainfittedmeout，andsentmeontotheeastcoast。
Iwasthusdependentontheirbounty，andthatofotherAfricans，forthemeansofgoingfromLinyantitoLoanda，andagainfromLinyantitotheeastcoast，andIfeeldeeplygratefultothemCoinwouldhavebeenofnobenefit，forgoldandsilverarequiteunknownWewereherejoinedbyMoriantsane，uncleofSekeletuandheadmanofSesheke，and，enteringcanoesonthe13th，somesaileddowntherivertotheconfluenceoftheChobe，whileothersdrovethecattlealongthebanks，spendingonenightatMparia，theislandattheconfluenceoftheChobe，whichiscomposedoftrap，havingcrystalsofquartzinitcoatedwithapellicleofgreencopperoreAttemptingtoproceeddowntherivernextday，weweredetainedsomehoursbyastrongeastwindraisingwavessolargeastothreatentoswampthecanoes。
Theriverhereisverylargeanddeep，andcontainstwoconsiderableislands，whichfromeitherbankseemtobejoinedtotheoppositeshoreWhilewaitingforthewindtomoderate，myfriendsrelatedthetraditionsoftheseislands，and，asusual，praisedthewisdomofSebituaneinbalkingtheBatoka，whoformerlyenticedwanderingtribestothem，andstarvedthem，bycompellingthechiefstoremainbyhissidetillallhiscattleandpeoplewereferriedoverTheBarotsebelievethatatcertainpartsoftheriveratremendousmonsterlieshid，andthatitwillcatchacanoe，andholditfastandmotionless，inspiteoftheutmostexertionsofthepaddlers。
WhilenearNametatheyevenobjectedtopassaspotsupposedtobehaunted，andproceededalongabranchinsteadofthemainstream。
TheybelievethatsomeofthempossessaknowledgeoftheproperprayertolaythemonsterItisstrangetofindfablessimilartothoseofthemorenorthernnationsevenintheheartofAfrica。
Cantheybethevestigesoftraditionsofanimalswhichnolongerexist？
Thefossilboneswhichlieinthecalcareoustufaofthisregionwillyet，wehope，revealtheancientfauna。
Havingdescendedabouttenmiles，wecametotheislandofNampene，atthebeginningoftherapids，wherewewereobligedtoleavethecanoesandproceedalongthebanksonfootThenexteveningwesleptoppositetheislandofChondo，and，thencrossingtheLekoneorLekwine，earlythefollowingmorningwereattheislandofSekote，calledKalai。
ThisSekotewasthelastoftheBatokachiefswhomSebituanerootedout。
Theislandissurroundedbyarockyshoreanddeepchannels，throughwhichtheriverrusheswithgreatforceSekote，feelingsecureinhisislandhome，venturedtoferryovertheMatebeleenemiesofSebituane。
Whentheyhadretired，SebituanemadeoneofthoserapidmarcheswhichhealwaysadoptedineveryenterpriseHecamedowntheLeeambyefromNaliele，sailingbydayalongthebanks，andduringthenightinthemiddleofthestream，toavoidthehippopotamiWhenhereachedKalai，Sekotetookadvantageofthelargercanoestheyemployintherapids，andfledduringthenighttotheoppositebankMostofhispeoplewereslainortakencaptive，andtheislandhaseversincebeenundertheMakololo。
ItislargeenoughtocontainaconsiderabletownOnthenorthernsideIfoundthekotlaoftheelderSekote，garnishedwithnumbersofhumanskullsmountedonpoles：alargeheapofthecraniaofhippopotami，thetusksuntouchedexceptbytime，stoodononesideAtashortdistance，undersometrees，wesawthegraveofSekote，ornamentedwithseventylargeelephants’tusksplantedrounditwiththepointsturnedinward，andtherewerethirtymoreplacedovertheresting-placesofhisrelatives。
Thesewerealldecayingfromtheeffectsofthesunandweather；
butafew，whichhadenjoyedtheshade，wereinaprettygoodcondition。
Ifeltinclinedtotakeaspecimenofthetusksofthehippopotami，astheywerethelargestIhadeverseen，butfearedthatthepeoplewouldlookuponmeasa“resurrectionist“ifIdid，andregardanyunfavorableeventwhichmightafterwardoccurasapunishmentforthesacrilegeTheBatokabelievethatSekotehadapotofmedicineburiedhere，which，whenopened，wouldcauseanepidemicinthecountry。
Thesetyrantsactedmuchonthefearsoftheirpeople。
Asthiswasthepointfromwhichweintendedtostrikeofftothenortheast，IresolvedonthefollowingdaytovisitthefallsofVictoria，calledbythenativesMosioatunya，ormoreancientlyShongwe。
Ofthesewehadoftenheardsincewecameintothecountry；indeed，oneofthequestionsaskedbySebituanewas，“Haveyousmokethatsoundsinyourcountry？”Theydidnotgonearenoughtoexaminethem，but，viewingthemwithaweatadistance，said，inreferencetothevaporandnoise，“Mosioatunya“smokedoessoundthere。
ItwaspreviouslycalledShongwe，themeaningofwhichIcouldnotascertain。
Thewordfora“pot“resemblesthis，anditmaymeanaseethingcaldron，butIamnotcertainofitBeingpersuadedthatMrOswellandmyselfweretheveryfirstEuropeanswhoevervisitedtheZambesiinthecentreofthecountry，andthatthisistheconnectinglinkbetweentheknownandunknownportionsofthatriver，IdecidedtousethesamelibertyastheMakololodid，andgavetheonlyEnglishnameIhaveaffixedtoanypartofthecountryNobetterproofofpreviousignoranceofthisrivercouldbedesiredthanthatanuntraveledgentleman，whohadspentagreatpartofhislifeinthestudyofthegeographyofAfrica，andkneweverythingwrittenonthesubjectfromthetimeofPtolemydownward，actuallyassertedinthe“Athenaeum“，whileIwascominguptheRedSea，thatthismagnificentriver，theLeeambye，had“noconnectionwiththeZambesi，butflowedundertheKalahariDesert，andbecamelost；“
and“that，asalltheoldmapsasserted，theZambesitookitsriseintheveryhillstowhichwehavenowcome。”ThismodestassertionsmacksexactlyasifanativeofTimbuctooshoulddeclarethatthe“Thames“andthe“Pool“weredifferentrivers，hehavingseenneithertheonenortheotherLeeambyeandZambesimeantheverysamething，viz。，theRIVER。
Sekeletuintendedtoaccompanyme，but，onecanoeonlyhavingcomeinsteadofthetwohehadordered，heresignedittome。
Aftertwentyminutes’sailfromKalaiwecameinsight，forthefirsttime，ofthecolumnsofvaporappropriatelycalled“smoke“，risingatadistanceoffiveorsixmiles，exactlyaswhenlargetractsofgrassareburnedinAfricaFivecolumnsnowarose，and，bendinginthedirectionofthewind，theyseemedplacedagainstalowridgecoveredwithtrees；thetopsofthecolumnsatthisdistanceappearedtominglewiththecloudsTheywerewhitebelow，andhigherupbecamedark，soastosimulatesmokeverycloselyThewholescenewasextremelybeautiful；thebanksandislandsdottedovertheriverareadornedwithsylvanvegetationofgreatvarietyofcolorandform。
Attheperiodofourvisitseveraltreeswerespangledoverwithblossoms。
TreeshaveeachtheirownphysiognomyThere，toweringoverall，standsthegreatburlybaobab，eachofwhoseenormousarmswouldformthetrunkofalargetree，besidegroupsofgracefulpalms，which，withtheirfeathery-shapedleavesdepictedonthesky，lendtheirbeautytothesceneAsahieroglyphictheyalwaysmean“farfromhome“，foronecannevergetovertheirforeignairinapictureorlandscapeThesilverymohonono，whichinthetropicsisinformlikethecedarofLebanon，standsinpleasingcontrastwiththedarkcolorofthemotsouri，whosecypress-formisdottedoveratpresentwithitspleasantscarletfruitSometreesresemblethegreatspreadingoak，othersassumethecharacterofourownelmsandchestnuts；butnoonecanimaginethebeautyoftheviewfromanythingwitnessedinEngland。
IthadneverbeenseenbeforebyEuropeaneyes；butscenessolovelymusthavebeengazeduponbyangelsintheirflightTheonlywantfeltisthatofmountainsinthebackgroundThefallsareboundedonthreesidesbyridges300or400feetinheight，whicharecoveredwithforest，withtheredsoilappearingamongthetreesWhenabouthalfamilefromthefalls，Ileftthecanoebywhichwehadcomedownthusfar，andembarkedinalighterone，withmenwellacquaintedwiththerapids，who，bypassingdownthecentreofthestreamintheeddiesandstillplacescausedbymanyjuttingrocks，broughtmetoanislandsituatedinthemiddleoftheriver，andontheedgeofthelipoverwhichthewaterrollsIncominghithertherewasdangerofbeingsweptdownbythestreamswhichrushedalongoneachsideoftheisland；
buttheriverwasnowlow，andwesailedwhereitistotallyimpossibletogowhenthewaterishighBut，thoughwehadreachedtheisland，andwerewithinafewyardsofthespot，aviewfromwhichwouldsolvethewholeproblem，Ibelievethatnoonecouldperceivewherethevastbodyofwaterwent；itseemedtoloseitselfintheearth，theoppositelipofthefissureintowhichitdisappearedbeingonly80feetdistantAtleastIdidnotcomprehendituntil，creepingwithawetotheverge，IpeereddownintoalargerentwhichhadbeenmadefrombanktobankofthebroadZambesi，andsawthatastreamofathousandyardsbroadleapeddownahundredfeet，andthenbecamesuddenlycompressedintoaspaceoffifteenortwentyyards。
TheentirefallsaresimplyacrackmadeinahardbasalticrockfromtherighttotheleftbankoftheZambesi，andthenprolongedfromtheleftbankawaythroughthirtyorfortymilesofhills。
IfoneimaginestheThamesfilledwithlow，tree-coveredhillsimmediatelybeyondthetunnel，extendingasfarasGravesend，thebedofblackbasalticrockinsteadofLondonmud，andafissuremadethereinfromoneendofthetunneltotheotherdownthroughthekeystonesofthearch，andprolongedfromtheleftendofthetunnelthroughthirtymilesofhills，thepathwaybeing100feetdownfromthebedoftheriverinsteadofwhatitis，withthelipsofthefissurefrom80to100feetapart，thenfancytheThamesleapingbodilyintothegulf，andforcedtheretochangeitsdirection，andflowfromtherighttotheleftbank，andthenrushboilingandroaringthroughthehills，hemayhavesomeideaofwhattakesplaceatthis，themostwonderfulsightIhadwitnessedinAfricaInlookingdownintothefissureontherightoftheisland，oneseesnothingbutadensewhitecloud，which，atthetimewevisitedthespot，hadtwobrightrainbowsonit。
Thesunwasonthemeridian，andthedeclinationaboutequaltothelatitudeoftheplace。Fromthiscloudrushedupagreatjetofvaporexactlylikesteam，anditmounted200or300feethigh；therecondensing，itchangeditshuetothatofdarksmoke，andcamebackinaconstantshower，whichsoonwettedustotheskinThisshowerfallschieflyontheoppositesideofthefissure，andafewyardsbackfromtheliptherestandsastraighthedgeofevergreentrees，whoseleavesarealwayswet。
Fromtheirrootsanumberoflittlerillsrunbackintothegulf，but，astheyflowdownthesteepwallthere，thecolumnofvapor，initsascent，licksthemupcleanofftherock，andawaytheymountagain。
Theyareconstantlyrunningdown，butneverreachthebottom。
Ontheleftoftheislandweseethewateratthebottom，awhiterollingmassmovingawaytotheprolongationofthefissure，whichbranchesoffneartheleftbankoftheriverApieceoftherockhasfallenoffaspotontheleftoftheisland，andjutsoutfromthewaterbelow，andfromitIjudgedthedistancewhichthewaterfallstobeabout100feetThewallsofthisgiganticcrackareperpendicular，andcomposedofonehomogeneousmassofrockTheedgeofthatsideoverwhichthewaterfallsiswornofftwoorthreefeet，andpieceshavefallenaway，soastogiveitsomewhatofaserratedappearance。
Thatoverwhichthewaterdoesnotfallisquitestraight，exceptattheleftcorner，wherearentappears，andapieceseemsinclinedtofalloffUponthewhole，itisnearlyinthestateinwhichitwasleftattheperiodofitsformationTherockisdarkbrownincolor，exceptabouttenfeetfromthebottom，whichisdiscoloredbytheannualriseofthewatertothatoragreaterheight。
Ontheleftsideoftheislandwehaveagoodviewofthemassofwaterwhichcausesoneofthecolumnsofvaportoascend，asitleapsquiteclearoftherock，andformsathickunbrokenfleeceallthewaytothebottomItswhitenessgavetheideaofsnow，asightIhadnotseenformanyadayAsitbrokeintoifImayusethetermpiecesofwater，allrushingoninthesamedirection，eachgaveoffseveralraysoffoam，exactlyasbitsofsteel，whenburnedinoxygengas，giveoffraysofsparks。
Thesnow-whitesheetseemedlikemyriadsofsmallcometsrushingoninonedirection，eachofwhichleftbehinditsnucleusraysoffoam。
IneversawtheappearancereferredtonoticedelsewhereItseemedtobetheeffectofthemassofwaterleapingatonceclearoftherock，andbutslowlybreakingupintospray。
IhavementionedthatwesawfivecolumnsofvaporascendingfromthisstrangeabyssTheyareevidentlyformedbythecompressionsufferedbytheforceofthewater’sownfallintoanunyieldingwedge-shapedspace。
Ofthefivecolumns，twoontherightandoneontheleftoftheislandwerethelargest，andthestreamswhichformedthemseemedeachtoexceedinsizethefallsoftheClydeatStonebyreswhenthatriverisinfloodThiswastheperiodoflowwaterintheLeeambye；but，asfarasIcouldguess，therewasaflowoffiveorsixhundredyardsofwater，which，attheedgeofthefall，seemedatleastthreefeetdeep。
Iwriteinthehopethatothers，morecapableofjudgingdistancesthanmyself，willvisitthescene，andIstatesimplytheimpressionsmadeonmymindatthetimeIthought，anddostillthink，theriverabovethefallstobeonethousandyardsbroad；