RAINBOW SUPERSTITION. 221 



clined to fall off. Upon the whole, it is nearly in the state in 

 which it was left at the period of its formation. The rock is 

 dark brown in color, except about ten feet from the bottom, 

 which is discolored by the annual rise of the water to that or a 

 greater height. On the left side of the island we have a good 

 view of the mass of water which causes one of the columns of 

 vapor to ascend, as it leaps quite clear of the rock, and forms a 

 thick unbroken fleece all the way to the bottom. Its whiteness 

 gave the idea of snow, a sight I had not seen for many a day. 

 As it broke into (if I may use the term) pieces of water, all 

 rushing on in the same direction, each gave off several rays 

 of foam, exactly as bits of steel, when burned in oxygen gas, 

 give off rays of sparks. The snow-white sheet seemed like 

 myriads of small comets rushing on in one direction, each of 

 which left behind its nucleus rays of foam. I never saw the 

 appearance referred to noticed elsewhere. It seemed to be the 

 effect of the mass of water leaping at once clear of the rock and 

 slowly breaking up into spray." 



Before Sebituane had expelled the Batoka chiefs from the fast- 

 nesses of the neighboring rocks and islands, they reverenced 

 this spot as the abode of Deity. Dr. Livingstone noticed 

 among several tribes dwelling along these rivers a decided awe 

 of the rainbow. They associate it with the gods. When seen 

 in the heavens it is spoken of as the " pestle of the gods," and 

 seen resting so quietly and beautifully on this strange cloud of 

 spray, reigning so serenely over the roaring, raging abyss of 

 waters, there is no wonder that it seemed like the throne of 

 Deity. 



The Batoka, who were formerly the " lords of the isles," were 

 strangely cruel and tyrannical, and such was the light which his 

 inquiries brought upon their history, that Livingstone was al- 

 most willing to honor the warlike propensities of the late chief 

 of the Makololo, in so far at least as they had to do with driving 

 the horrid monsters from their fastnesses in these wild rocks. 

 The beautiful country in which they had their home exerted no 

 more softening influence on those savages than the beautiful 

 throne of their imagined divinity above the " Smoke Sound- 

 ing " pit. And the children who recognize in some sort the 

 ascendency of the Makololo conquerors of their fathers, though 



