The natives called the waterfalls of the Zambezi the "thundering smokes". In 1855, the English explorer Livingstone named them "Victoria Falls" in homage to the Queen of England.David Livingstone, an English Protestant pastor, missionary and doctor, visited unknown territories in South Africa for the purpose of evangelizing and caring for indigenous people. After crossing the Kalahari Desert, Livingstone discovered the sources of the Zambezi. Exploring the upper reaches of the river, he was able to contemplate an extraordinary spectacle: a 110-meter waterfall. The river, which in that area is 1700 meters wide, falls down a gorge only 80 meters wide. The din of the waters is perceptible from afar and a curtain of mist rises constantly from the tumultuous and impressive liquid wall, curtain that when crossed by the rays of the sun produces magnificent rainbows.
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