FALLS OF GARSIPA. 221 



Ghauts from the town of Garsipa, and are now known tc«' 

 Europeans by the name of the Falls of Garsipa. 



Falls of Garsipa. — The countiy in the neighbourhood of 

 the falls," says Dr. Christie in a communication to us, is ex- 

 tremely beautiful, combining the majestic appearance of a 

 tropical forest with the softer characters of an Enghsh park. 

 Hill and dale are covered with soft green, which is finely 

 contrasted with a border of dark forest, with numerous 

 clumps of majestic trees, and thickets of acacias, the ca- 

 runda, and other flowering shrubs. 



Upon approaching the falls you emerge from a thick 

 wood, and come suddenly upon the river, gliding gently 

 among confused masses of rock. A few steps more over 

 huge blocks of granite bring you to the brink of a fearful 

 chasm, rocky, bare, and black ; down which you look to 

 the depth of 1000 feet. Over its sides rush the different 

 branches of the river, the largest stretching downwards 

 without break in one huge curling pillar of white foam. 

 Beneath, the waters by the force of their fall are projected 

 far out in straight lines ; and at some distance below the 

 falls form a thin cloud of white vapour, which rises high, 

 above the surrounding forest. The sides of the chasm are 

 formed by slanting strata of rock, the regularity of which 

 forms a striking contrast to the disorder of the tumultuous 

 waters, the broken detached masses of stone, and the soft 

 tint of the crowning woods. 



The effect of all these objects rushing at once upon the 

 sight is truly sublime. The spectator is generally obliged 

 to retire after the first view of them, in order gradually to 

 familiarize himself with their appearance ; for the feeling 

 which he experiences in suddenly coming on them amounts 

 almost to pain. After the first impression has somewhat 

 subsided, and he has become accustomed to the scene, he 

 can then leisurely analyze its parts, and become acquainted 

 with the details. . 



The chasm is somewhat of an elliptical form. At its 

 narrowest and deepest part is the principal fall ; smaller 

 branches of the river and little rills dash over its sides, and 

 are almost all dissipated in spray before they reach the 

 bottom. The principal branch of the river is much con- 

 tracted in breadth before it reaches the brink of the preci- 



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