18 THE BONDS OF AFRICA 



the Congo Free State, and that the great country 

 which only a few years ago was practically un- 

 known, and which in several recent maps is 

 styled "British Central Africa," has, under the 

 name of North- Western Rhodesia, and under 

 the mantle of Rhodes and his far-seeing states- 

 manship, become a great and valued dependency 

 of the British Empire ? 



I will not dwell on Bulawayo, the modern 

 metropolis of Matabeleland, raised up on the 

 slaughter kraals of Lo Bengula, nor will I weary 

 you with a lengthy description of the Victoria 

 Falls, the Mecca of all South African tourists. 



Many an able pen has attempted to describe 

 the wondrous loveliness of the Falls, and where 

 able pens have failed I can only hope to give the 

 weakest conception of the Zambesi rushing over 

 a great escarpment and then silently wending 

 its way down the dark gorges in a twisting and 

 twining path to the east. When first I saw the 

 Zambesi the river was in full flood (in April and 

 May), and the amount of water that was com- 

 ing over the Falls then was too stupendous to 

 calculate. 



Standing on one of the ledges which run out 

 from the Rain Forest and peering over into the 

 depths beneath, one felt as if he were on the 

 very edge of the world. The spray, the thunder 

 of the waters, and the beautiful rainbow effects 

 filled me with such awe that I turned away speech- 

 less and amazed. It was as if I were standing 

 on the top of the highest ledge of the north cliffs 

 of Cornwall, and the Atlantic had determined 

 to destroy the land in a blind rage and fury. 

 And there on the other side the sea had conquered, 

 and the land was under the mighty hand of the 

 conqueror. 



