Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia

T.R.S…
On arrival at Victoria Falls on Saturday, 02 February, we went at once to the elegant resort hotel there and were quartered in a large high-ceiling room with private, modern bath. Found many well-to-do Englishmen and South Africans in the extensive, rambling structure, which has two storeys and no elevators, but long corridors fanning out from two lobbies somewhat like The Breakers at Cedar Point.

From front verandah the low rumble of the falls can be heard and spray mist can be seen rising about a mile away. Dining room cool and inviting, where meals are served by natives who speak guttural English, and definitely understand only what they wish.

Very strange-looking and tasting food - but good. All hot dishes are curry flavoured, fruits dead ripe - but, just try to get a piece of ice. Iced-tea is lukewarm and tepid, but moist. When guest orders, waiter dashes to kitchen and brings only one thing at a time. Took three trips to get me bacon and eggs for breakfast - once for bacon and once for each egg.

Had chat with a personable retired British Naval officer, 73 years old-looked about 60. Very animated and gifted with a marvellous flow of language.

Most of Caronia group visited Victoria Falls dressed in bathing suits, raincoats and galoshes to withstand heavy spray at the chasm rim, opposite the falls. Returned to hotel drenched to skin and rubbers squashing water. I declined to make this trip - too muddy and slippery - but instead visited west edge and saw Devil's Gorge, which completely satisfied my taste for waterfalls.

Took Pushmobile from huge bronze monument of Dr. Livingstone to small park above falls where the daring and the brave may risk their necks going by canoe across the rapids to an island in the middle of the on-rushing Zambesi River to view the cascades from both sides. The only safeguard against going over the falls, in case of a punctured canoe or a lost paddle, is a cable with floating oil drums attached extending from river bank to the island.

It did not require too much willpower on my part to say “No” to a suggested canoe trip. Madam Helen (my wife) made trip to canyon rim with others and on her return looked like a bad little child who had been playing in mud, and with the best curly hair-do I have seen her wear in years!

Visited with a Mr. & Mrs. Letts from London, just arrived at falls after escape from Shepheard Hotel at Cairo where all their trunks, bags and clothing were destroyed by fire in the Egyptian rioting.

Engaged auto to cross Zambesi River to a 350-acre wild game preserve. A large monkey jumped up on my open window ledge in car and looked daggers at me. When I lifted my cane he “beat it” in a hurry. Saw five stately giraffes browsing on the tree-top foliage by the roadside. They paid not the slightest attention to us.

Numerous water-bucks and other horned animals stood still and looked us over, and an ostrich standing in the rain tried to preen himself and eat grass tops at the same time - a busy bird indeed.

Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia

T.R.S…
Thence on southward through arid and uninteresting country and arrived at Bulawayo at 9am. Monday. A thriving tropical city of 15,000 Europeans and 120,000 natives and the burial place of the great Cecil Rhodes.

I forfeited the side trips here and took to bed for a couple of hours at Grand Hotel to fight a bad head cold. Arose refreshed and lunched with group as phonograph played popular American discs. Stars and Stripes Forever repeated several times. Had 4 o'clock tea with friend from ship and being a good listener picked up some new ship gossip, known as “the dirt”.

After early dinner at hotel, went to a boxing exhibition. Ten three-round bouts by native athletes, unskilled but in there, slugging every minute. Very fast action and exciting, in spite of haymakers and wild jabs that never landed. Five thousand natives in unreserved section proved real fans with their whooping and yelling for their favourites.