Aug.."i Fuller, Some South African Scenes and Flowers. 61 



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showed us masses of white, sweet-scented bauhinias, all wet 

 with rain that had fallen in the night, as well as many other 

 less striking flowers, all along the railway. The joy of being 

 in a new country, with surprises in the way of flowers at every 

 turn, can never be described or imagined ; everyone has their 

 own sensations in such experiences. It was shortly after 

 7 a.m. when we reached the Victoria Falls station, but long 

 before that the white spray of the falls could be seen in the 

 distance, looking like white smoke of some huge bush-fire ; 

 and we knew then that we had really arrived at the wonderful 

 and majestic falls of Zambesi that Livingstone had discovered 

 about 50 years before. When you see their grandeur you can 

 in a measure realize the feelings of the great explorer when they 

 first burst on his view and he heard the roar of their mighty 

 waters. 



There is no town of Victoria Falls, the nearest village being 

 that of Livingstone, seven miles further up the line ; but behind 

 the station there is the hotel, run by the Railway Department, 

 and a few thatched kraals belonging to the curio traders, and. 

 scattered about, one comes upon a few native huts from time 

 to time. Instead of leaving the train at the Falls station, we 

 handed our baggage over to the hotel servants and went on 

 to the next station, which is Palm Grove, crossing the wonderful 

 bridge, on which there is a toll of one shilling. 



Early morning, everything wet with night showers, and a 

 tropical feeling in the air, was what greeted us when we left 

 the railway siding, and we wandered beside the mighty Zambesi 

 simply entranced. It seemed like fairyland, so fresh and green, 

 palms and tropical trees and flowers, papyrus, &c, on all 

 sides. With the first view of the falls and their surroundings 

 our hearts were too full for comment. We could simply gaze 

 in speechless amazement. The first few moments of that sight 

 can never be imagined. We stood breathless and speechless, 

 overawed by its marvellous greatness — rainbows here and 

 there in the foaming mist as it rose from the mighty abyss. It 

 was a revelation to me. We wandered along the banks of the 

 river above the falls, on and on, in the early morning, before 

 the sun had gained its full power. The ibis and dicas were 

 having their morning plunge and searching for food. We 

 kept our eyes open for hippopotami and crocodiles, but were 

 not fortunate enough to see any that morning. We crept along 

 what is called the " Knife Edge " — a narrow, scimitar-shaped 

 tongue of land jutting out into the tremendous chasm, so that 

 as we got to the point, knee-deep in wet grass, we had the 

 tearing torrent on either side, and, far below us, the boiling pot, 

 where the river in its deadly haste whirls itself round and 

 round, as if it were boiling furiously, and sending its steam- 



