Commemorative Plate, Scenic Views

Commemorative Plate, Scenic Views

Scenic Views of Southern Africa

Date c. 1954 Origin Wedgwood, England Size 240mm x 240mm x 22mm Acquired April 2021 From Honesty Shop, Nieu-Beth. Price R50

Zambesi

“Zambesi (also written Zambezi). Largest river in Southern Africa; rises in Eastern Angola, and in its earlier reaches is known as the Liba or Liambui. The name Zambesi is believed to be a corruption of the word Ambei, signifying ‘Great Waters,’ the ‘Z’ having been added as an expression of emphasis. Starting at an altitude of 5,000 feet above sea-level in latitude 11 degrees and 21 minutes South and longitude 24 degrees 4 minutes East, the Zambesi flows through the Lobale, Barotse and Mambunda country and along the Caprivi Zipfel (q.v.), which forms the extreme north-eastern frontier of South-West Africa. After passing such cataracts as the Katima and Motilo Falls, and being fed by a series of rivers, including the Chobe (Lunyanti), Longo, Loeti, Nengo, Luanginga, Luampa, Kabompo and others, the Zambesi reaches the Victoria Falls (q.v.), below which there are further tributaries, notably the Gwaai, Sengwe, Sanyati, Angwa, Hunyani, Kafue, Lunagwa and Shire. The last brings down the waters of Lake Nyasa and greatly adds to the size of the Zambesi. After a number of rapids the Zambesi enters the Kariba Gorge (q.v.), where the greatest storage and water power scheme in Africa has been constructed. For about 120 miles towards its mouth, the Zambesi is navigable for shallow-draught steamers. It forms a delta, covering about 4,000 sq. miles, and enters the sea in Northern Mozambique. The length of the River is approximately 1,600 miles, and the area drained is about 520,000 sq. miles. Towards the end of the 19th century the British Navy maintained a number of gunboats at the mouth of the Zambesi, by special arrangement with the Portuguese authorities” (Rosenthal 1967:631-632).