fact that this scene of Nature was indeed as God left it. These
reflections were made as we floated on in our rickety canoe to a creek,
where we landed to walk to the actual Falls. A new path had just been
cut in the wooded part of the north bank, and we were almost the first
visitors to profit by it. Formerly the enterprising sight-seers had to
push their way through the scrubby undergrowth, but we followed a smooth
track for two miles, the roar of the cataract getting louder and louder,
with only occasional peeps of the river, which was fast losing its calm
repose and degenerating into restless rapids hurrying on to their
bourne. Now and then a buck would dance across our path, pause
affrighted for an instant at the unusual sight of man, and bound away
again into the thickness beyond; and once three fine wart-hogs almost
stumbled into our party, only to gallop away again like greyhounds,
before the rifles, which were carried by the black boys behind, could be
made use of.

At last we emerged suddenly, without any warning, on the northern
extremity of the cataract, which at this point measures over a mile from
bank to bank, but of which only about a quarter of that distance is
visible, owing to the blinding spray. It is wellnigh impossible to
describe a scene of such wonder, such wildness. It is awe-inspiring,
almost terrible in its force and majesty, and the accompanying din
prevents speech from being heard. Standing on a point flush with the
river before it makes its headlong leap, we gazed first on the swirling
water losing itself in snowy spray, which beat relentlessly on face and
clothes, while the great volume was nosily disappearing to unknown and
terrifying depths. The sight-seer tries to look across, to strain his
eyes and to see beyond that white mist which obscures everything; but it
is an impossible task, and he can but guess the width of the Falls,
slightly horseshoe in shape, from the green trees which seem so far away
on the opposite bank, and are only caught sight of now and then as the
wind causes the spray to lift. At the same time his attention is fixed
by a new wonder, the much-talked-of rainbow. Never varying, never
changing, that perfect-shaped arc is surely more typical of eternity
there than anywhere else. Its perfection of colours seems to be
reflected again and yet again in the roaring torrent, and to be also an
emblem of peace where all is turmoil. We were hurried away to remove our
wet rainp