Commemorative Bowl, Great Trek

Commemorative Bowl, Great Trek

Great Trek Centenary 1838–1939

Date 1938 Origin South Africa Size 70mm x 112mm x 112mm Acquired Memory Fails From Memory Fails Price Memory Fails

Chincherinchee & Zimbabwe Ruins

“Victoria Falls, Rhodesia. Largest, though not highest, waterfall in Africa, situated on the Zambesi River, 1,635 miles from Cape Town. Although it has been claimed that the early Boer hunters saw the Falls, there is no definite evidence of the fact, and the honour still goes to Dr. David Livingstone who sighted them on November 16, 1855. The native name is Mosiatunya, meaning ‘The Smoke that Thunders.’ The Zambesi above the Falls is approximately a mile wide and plunges into a series of zigzagging gorges, which extend for many miles. In every respect the Victoria Falls are larger than their great American rival, the Niagara, their height being 347 feet as against 158 feet for Niagara, while the width is 1,900 yards as against about 800 for Niagara Falls. The Victoria Falls are still completely unspoilt, the natural beauty having been carefully preserved. The main divisions of the Falls are: the Devil’s Cataract (also known as Leaping Waters), the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls and the Eastern Cataract. A large hotel has been built by the Rhodesia Railways. The whole area is a national park. A certain amount of power is used for local purposes but the scheme for supplying the Witwatersrand has never been carried out. On the initiative of Cecil John Rhodes, the railway bridge was carried over the Victoria Falls within reach of the spray. Since its completion in 1904, the place has been in direct touch with the outside world” (Rosenthal 1967:595).

“Chincherinchee (Ornithalogum thyrsoides). Bulbous plant with leaves folded round stem and a spike of white flowers. Flourishes in the Cape Province. Buds exported on a large scale to England. No satisfactory explanation has been given for the name, possibly from the peculiar noise made when two stalks are rubbed together. Like the onion, asparagus, aloe and agapanthus, it belongs to the Lilaceae order, about 800 species of which are in South Africa. See LILY” (Rosenthal 1967:107).

“Zimbabwe Ruins. Most famous of ancient relics in Rhodesia. They are located approximately 17 miles from Fort Victoria, and were discovered in 1867 by Adam Renders (q.v.), who was followed in 1870 by Carl Mauch (q.v.). Opinions as to their age range from the time of biblical King Solomon to a few centuries ago. Gertrude Caton-Thompson held that they were no more than about 800 years old, but this view has been disproved by radio-activity tests, which makes the age nearly 1,000 years. The ruins are divided into three groups. The Acropolis occupies the summit of a koppie and is In the nature of a fortification. In the neighbouring valley is the Elliptical Temple, with great cyclopean walls and an overall length of about 265 feet. These walls rise up to a height of about 30 feet, and are up to 15 feet thick, a characteristic feature being the chevron pattern in the stonework. The third landmark is the Conical Tower, regarded by many, but not all, as a phallic symbol. Between the Elliptical Temple and the Acropolis are a large number of broken-down walls, extending for nearly a mile, which occupy a space known as the Valley of the Ruins. A good deal of damage was done in the past by prospectors and amateur archaeologists, but the ruins today are carefully guarded by the Government. See ARCHEOLOGY” (Rosenthal 1967:636).