1845.] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 419 



entombed waters. The principal or Horse-shoe Fall is deeply located 

 at the right bend of the ellipse formed by the entire chasm. Over it 

 is precipitated the great bulk of the river, which fell over the edge 

 with a smooth and graceful curve in one huge muddy mass, and de- 

 scended in an unbroken sheet until lost to the eye in the volumes of 

 spray below. 



The Rocket Fall is on the left of the Horse-shoe, and, though insig- 

 nificant in volume, is a cascade of extreme beauty, excelling those 

 of Tivoli. This Fall after descending perpendicularly a great depth, 

 encounters a projecting ledge of rock from which it glances with great 

 velocity, whiteness, and brilliancy, forming in its descent the parabolic 

 curve of a rocket, and sending off brilliant white jets resembling fall- 

 ing stars and tailed meteors. 



The Roarer, so named from its noise, is nearer the Horse- shoe than 

 the Rocket, and larger in volume ; it descends in two streams upon a 

 shelf of rock, down the highly inclined surface of which they rush 

 with much noise and rapidity in one mingled mass of foam. In the 

 dry weather no less than six or seven other Falls are distinguishable. 

 I observed a number of small rills which, after descending some dis- 

 tance, separated into threads: these, in descending, became gradually 

 divided into drops and spray, and mingled with the ascending wreaths 

 of mist, apparently never reaching the bottom of the cataract. 



In order to ascertain the height of the principal Fall, we let down a 

 plummet attached to about 1000 feet of rope; but it got entangled 

 near the bottom of the precipice, and broke in our exertions to draw it 

 up. Mr. T. Lushington, of the Madras Civil Service, informs me, that 

 he had successfully measured it in the dry season, and the result of 

 these measurements were as follow : — 



Feet. 



From the top of the Falls to the surface of 1 ooo 

 the water in the basin below, . . J 



Depth of water in the basin, . . . . 300 



Total, .. .. 1188 feet. 



The sheet of water above the Falls was about 300 yards broad, (Mr. 

 E. Maltby, of the Civil Service, informs me it is sometimes nearly 600 

 yards broad), and at least on average eight feet deep; current about six 



