RAINBOWS IN THE CHASM. 
463 
acting from beneath, and rending the rocks in these 
fissures. 
The land beyond the Palls retains the same level that it 
had before these rents were made. The tops of the promon- 
tories are generally flat and covered with trees. The first 
is in one part so narrow as to be dangerous to cross. On 
the second the party found a rhinoceros track and a hut. 
When the river is low, Garden Island commands the best 
view of the chasm of the Palls, and also of the promontory 
opposite, with its grove of trees ; the rainbows formed by 
the ascending spray, arching about three quarters of a 
circle, and numbering sometimes as many as four. Cross- 
ing over to the promontory, the best view is gained of the 
Falls. First, at the west, is a fall thirty-six yards wide, 
and, as they all are, 310 feet deep. Then a small island, 
Boaruka, intervenes, and on its other side a fall 513 yards 
broad ; then a projecting rock, and another grand fall 325 
yards wide, making in all 900 yards breadth of fall. Fur- 
ther east is Garden Island, and the river being then low, a 
good deal of the bare bed of rock was visible, but when 
the river is high, here is nearly another half mile of con- 
tinuous cascade. 
The whole body of water rolls off the river unbroken ; 
but, after a fall of about ten feet, 6eems suddenly to be- 
come a mass of driven snow. From the chasm arise 
columns of vapor, as if of steam, numbering sometimes as 
many as six, and visible over twenty miles away. At a 
height of about 200 br 300 feet, these are condensed again 
into a perpetual shower of fine rain, and in the morning, 
are decorated with double and treble rainbows by the sun. 
The ancient Batoka chiefs used Garden Island, or Kaze- 
ruka, as it was then called, together with Boaruka, the 
island further west, lying also on the lip of the falls, as 
sacred spots for worship. 
This fall was first visited by the first European in 1855, 
when Dr. Livingstone passed it on his way to the 'East 
Coast. His visit then was of necessity so short that he 
