VICTORIA FAILS. 
461 
CHAPTER XXXYI. 
VICTORIA FALLS. 
The native or Makololo name of Victoria Falls is Moa»- 
oa-tunya, which means smoke sounding. The ancient nami 
was Scongo, or Chongwe, meaning the Rainbow, or place 
of the Rainbow. The party embarked in canoes belonging 
to 'l'nba Mokoro, an ominous name, meaning “ smasher of 
canoes ; ” but he knew the medicine which insured against 
canoe shipwreck. The party started to land at Garden 
Island, situated near the middle of the river, and on the 
lip of the Falls. Elephants and hippopotami have been 
known to be carried over the Falls, and to be dashed, of 
course, into pulp. The passage down the river, through 
the rapids, to Garden Island, appeared most excitiugly 
dangerous. Tuba's orders were that no one should speak 
a word. He stood at the head of the canoe, and a steers- 
man at the stern. There were places in tne river where the 
utmost exertion of both men were required to keep the 
canoe in the course, or prevent it from being carried broad- 
side upon the rocks. Never was a canoe more dexterously 
managed. Having reached Garden Island, from its point, 
overhanging the falls, and suspended at that giddy height, 
the wonderful and peculiar character of the magnificent 
cascade burst upon the sight. The Victoria Falls differ 
from Niagara in the method of their formation Niagara 
has been formed by wearing away the rock over which it 
flows, and by this process has made a long and tolerably 
straight trough in front of it. The Victoria Falls, how- 
ever, have been formed by a crack right across the river in 
the hard basaltic rock which forms the bed of the Zambesi. 
The lips of the crack are still quite sharp, save about three 
feet of the edge over which the water flows. The walls go 
sheer down from the lips. When the convulsion occurred, 
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