INiagara Falls Igugu Elingapheli Laseningizimu Nasentshonalanga Melika
Ngumlobeli wePhaphama! eCanada
“ENYE yezindawo ezimangalisayo, ezinhle, nezisabeka kakhulu eziye zakhiwa amandla emvelo!” kubabaza uLord Dufferin, umbusi jikelele waseCanada, enkulumweni yakhe eOntario Society of Artists eToronto. Kwakungunyaka ka-1878, futhi wayevumela ukwakhiwa kwepaki lomphakathi lokuvikela nokulondoloza “izimpawu ezesabekayo” zeNiagara Falls.
Ubukhulu balesimangaliso semvelo esihle ngokubabazekayo abuchazeki. Yeka umbukwane ojabulisayo ukuwubona! Abantu abavela kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba badonseleka ukuzobuka leligugu elingapheli laseNingizimu naseNtshonalanga Melika.
Emlandweni sifunda ukuthi abantu baseYurophu baqala ukwazi “ngalokuhlokoma kwamanzi,” iNiagara Falls, esikhathini esingaphezu kwamakhulu amathathu eminyaka edlule. Ngo-1644, uLe Sieur Gendron, udokotela wezokwelapha waseFrance, wakhuluma ngokuqondile ngalombukwane ezincwadini azithumela kubangane eFrance. Kamuva, abavangeli, abathengisi, nezinhloli zamazwe bavusa isithakazelo nokucabanga kwabanye ngemibiko yabo yempophoma enkulu ehlokomayo ephakathi kweChibi iErie neChibi iOntario.
Eqinisweni iNiagara Falls yakhiwe izimpophoma ezimbili, ezisemngceleni ophakathi kweCanada neUnited States. IHorseshoe Falls isohlangothini lwaseCanada, iAmerican Falls isohlangothini lwaseU.S. Ukuze babone leligugu elidumile laseNingizimu naseNtshonalanga Melika, abahambi bamazwe bakuqala kwakumelwe bafohle emiseleni enamanzi nasezindleleni ezikhathazayo zamaNdiya ezazidabula emhosheni owummango onamadwala, owawenziwe umfula esikhathini esingaphezu kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka edlule.
Ukukhathazeka Koqobo
Kwase kufika abasunguli bamabhizinisi bathuthukisa izinto eziningi ezikhanga izivakashi. Ezentengiselwano ezingaqashelwe ezizungeze lesimangaliso semvelo esiwumbukwane zaphazamisa abaningi. Babefuna ukuthatha izinyathelo zokulondoloza leligugu elingapheli laseNiagara. Umdwebi wezindawo uF. E. Church waba nomuzwa wokuthi ezentengiselwano zaziyisiphazamiso futhi ngaleyondlela zingamukeleki. Ngo-1847 esinye isivakashi sakhala: “Manje indawo ezungeze lesimangaliso esihle isigcwele zonke izinhlobo zokukhunta ezenyanyekayo—ukuntuleka okusobala kokuqonda.”
Ngonyaka ka-1832, uE. T. Coke washukunyiselwa ukuba abhale: “Kuyadabukisa ukuthi indawo enjalo ayigcinwanga njengeyigugu kuze kube phakade; kuyadabukisa nokuthi izihlahla zamahlathi azivunyelwanga ukuba zizikhulele ngokunethezeka ngobuhle bazo basendle endaweni lapho izinto ezakhiwe umuntu ziyohlala zibukeka ziphansi.” Abantu abaqondayo babona kusengaphambili ukuthi ezentengiselwano zingaqalisa futhi zibhubhise indawo engokwemvelo ejabulisayo ezungeze lesimangaliso sendalo kaJehova.
Namuhla, ngenxa yemizamo kaLord Dufferin nabanye abantu abaqondayo, amapaki amahle ahlobisa zombili izinhlangothi zoMfula iNiagara kusukela esizalweni sempophoma kuya kuWhirlpool Rapids ngezansi. Ubuhle balesimangaliso sendalo buye bavikelwa kwezentengiselwano ezingabukeki. Ngaleyondlela, izinto ezikhanga izivakashi ziye zamiswa kude nempophoma emigwaqweni yamadolobha asemingceleni. Ukukhathazeka kwamuva nje kwezazi zendawo nezinto eziphila kuyo kuwukuthi leligugu laseNingizimu naseNtshonalanga Melika lingase lishatshalaliswe ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi okuqhubekayo.—Bheka ibhokisi elikhuluma ngokuguguleka kwenhlabathi.
Ukuhlola Igugu Elingapheli
Sathola ukuthi lesimangaliso esiwumbukwane somhlaba singahlolwa futhi sibonakale kuzo zonke izinhlangothi ngaphandle kokuphazamiseka. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuzibukela phezulu lezozimpophoma okujabulisayo uma umi komunye wemibhoshongo emide yokubuka noma usendizeni enophephela emhlane ehamba phezulu kuyamangalisa. Noma ukuzihambela ngezinyawo noma ukugibela okuthile ugudle iNiagara Parkway kungaba okuthakazelisa ngokwengeziwe. AmaWhirlpool Rapid abuqamamana nje nesizalo somfula uma usuka ezimpophomeni futhi ayakufanela ukuvakashelwa.
Ukwehla ngasohlangothini lwewa futhi siphumele ngalé kwemihubhe kuyosiletha “endaweni esingabona kuyo imisebenzi efihlekile” ngaphansi kwempophoma. Uma silapha silunguza emanzini asasembozo enza iHorseshoe Falls ikhange kakhulu futhi ibe nodumo. Ukuduma kwempophoma kuvala izindlebe. Ngalabo abanesibindi nabangamadela-ngozi, umbono wempophoma lapho ugibele esinye sezikebhe zokuvakasha ezihamba njalo emanzini ayaluzayo eduze nalapho impophoma igelezela khona awunakulibaleka. Njengoba amanzi ahlokomayo ewulukuhleleka ngezansi emfuleni, kukhuphuka inkungu, iveze umbukiso omuhle wothingo lwenkosazana. Ngeqoqo ngalinye lamaconsi, kwakheka uthingo lwenkosazana olusha. Kulendawo yokubuka, manje singanambitha amanzi futhi sizwe nenkungu njengoba yehla phezu kwezingubo zethu zokuzivikela.
Incwajana yasePaki laseNiagara yathi: “Ukubona iziMpophoma zaseNiagara Ebusuku Kunjengokuphaphama Ezweni Lamaphupho.” Ngakho-ke, asifuni ukulahlekelwa ukukhanyiswa kwempophoma yinhlanganisela ehlukahlukene yokukhanya okuyimibalabala okunamandla ebusuku. Ngonyaka ka-1860, lapho iNkosi yaseWales izibona ngokokuqala leziMpophoma zikhanyisiwe, uNicholas A. Woods, oyintatheli yeTimes yaseLondon, wachaza ubuhle obubabazekayo balombukiso ngendlela elandelayo: “Ngomzuzwana nje amanzi amaningi, akhazimula ngokucacile futhi kusengathi amhlophe qwa ekukhanyeni okunamandla, abonakala sengathi aphenduka isiliva elincibilikisiwe. Uma ungemuva kweziMpophoma, ukukhanya kwakukhanya ngokuxhophayo kangangokuthi amanzi aphambi kokukhanya abukeka njengeshidi lengilazi yekristalu, impophomana yamadayimane, lapho wonke amagwebu namanzi kwakugxuma futhi kukhanya futhi kusakaza ukubenyezela endaweni yonke, njengomfula wephosphorous.”
Izwe Lasebusika Lezimangaliso
Umswakama esiwuhogelayo nesiwuzwayo emoyeni wasehlobo ukhuphuka usukela ezimpophomeni futhi wenza izimbali, izihlahlana, nemithi okuzungeze izimpophoma kubukeke kuphilile futhi kuqabula. Kodwa ebusika, lenkungu efanayo, ethwalwa umoya omningi, iba yiqhwa bese inamathela ezihlahleni nasezitshalweni eziseduze nosebe lomfula. Ziyacwebezela zibenyezele lapho zembozwe yiqhwa elingenambala. Ngosuku olubalele, zihlangana nendawo embozwe yisithwathwa ekwenzeni ubucwazicwazi bezimpophoma ngokwenza umbukiso oxhophayo, odansayo obonisa ukukhanya kwelanga.
Ubusika buletha futhi amakhekheba amakhulu eqhwa esihosheni soMfula iNiagara. Eminyakeni edlule, isihosha sasigcwala amakhekheba eqhwa avela eChibini iErie. Iqhwa laliqhephuka echibini bese ligelezela eMfuleni iNiagara lidlulela ezimpophomeni ngendlela ewumbukwane futhi ekugcineni linqwabelane esihosheni esingumcingo. Lokhu kunqwabelana kwamakhekheba eqhwa kwakudala izintaba zeqhwa nesithwathwa kwaze kwaba yilapho kwakhiwa amabhuloho eqhwa ayenqamula phezu komfula ngokuphelele. Eminyakeni yamuva uchungechunge lwezinsika zensimbi namapulangwe ziye zamiswa zanqamula lapho kungenela khona uMfula iNiagara eChibini iErie ukuze kuvinjelwe ukubambeka okukhulu kweqhwa.
Inhlonhlo INiagara
Okwenezela ebuhleni balezimpophoma iNhlonhlo iNiagara evundile, isiqephu somsweswana wendawo ephakathi kweChibi iOntario, iChibi iErie, nethafa eliphakeme laseNiagara. Inhlanganisela yendawo evikelayo namachibi kudala isimo sezulu esingashintshi esitholakala enhlonhlweni kuphela.
Umoya uzungeza phakathi kwethafa eliphakeme namachibi wenze isimo sezulu sibe ngesifaneleyo kokubili ebusika nasehlobo. Amasimu ama-apula amnandi, amacherry, amaganandoda, amaplum, namapentshisi nezivini zezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zamagilebhisi ziyachuma kulenhlonhlo enhle nevikelekile. Izimboni ezenza amawayini neziphuzo zamagilebhisi, ezisemadolobheni amancane amahle, ziyazilungisa izithelo zomvini futhi zenezele ekubeni kwalendawo yaseOntario ngevelele. Konke lokhu kuphumela ohambweni lokubuka indawo olumnandi endaweni yasemaphandleni, ikakhulukazi phakathi nenkathi yokuqhakaza kwezinto yasentwasahlobo neyokuvuna yasekwindla.
Igugu Kuzo Zonke Izinkathi
Leligugu elidumile laseNyakatho naseNtshonalanga Melika liyisipho esibabazekayo esivela kuNkulunkulu. (Qhathanisa neHubo 115:16.) Lijabulisa bonke labo abalibukayo.
Izivakashi zingafika noma ngayiphi inkathi yonyaka futhi zimangaliswe umsebenzi onhlobonhlobo wobuciko kulendalo kaJehova. Zingahogela iphunga eliqabulayo lezimbali eziqhakazile zezihlahla zasentwasahlobo, zinambithe izinhlobonhlobo zezithelo eziconsisa amathe, futhi zibone ubuhle besandla esicophelelayo soMdali wethu emibaleni egqamile yezimbali eziningi zasehlobo, eziniselwa kahle izimpophoma ezinamandla. Noma zingabona imibala ekhanyayo yasekwindla yesihlahla semaple esibomvu phakathi kwesagolide nesawolintshi yezinye izihlahla eziningi zokuzimilela eningizimu yeOntario.
Ezinye ziyojabulela ubukhazikhazi beNiagara Falls ebusika, lapho izintaba zeqhwa nesithwathwa zinqwabelana lapho izimpophoma zigelezela khona, nezihlahla nezihlahlana zihlotshiswe isithwathwa esihlanzekile, esimhlophe noma zembozwe yiqhwa, elibenyezela njengekristalu elicolisisekile ekukhanyeni kwelanga kwasebusika.
INhlonhlo iNiagara nempophoma engumbukwane kwembula okuhle kakhulu kwezinkathi ezine zonyaka futhi kugxilisa ukubonga kwethu kuJehova, owathembisa ezigidini zezigidi zeminyaka edlule: “Umhlaba usekhona, ukutshala nokuvuna, amakhaza nokufudumala, ihlobo nobusika, imini nobusuku akuyikunqamuka.”—Genesise 8:22.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 16]
Ukuguguleka Kwenhlabathi Yezimpophoma Kuvinjelwa Kanjani?
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kusongela ukuqeda izimpophoma. Eminyakeni yamuva ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi kuye kwancishiswa ngezinga lamasentimitha angu-8 ngonyaka eHorseshoe Falls, futhi kwancishiswa ngamasentimitha amabili nengxenye nje kuphela eAmerican Falls. Lokhu kuye kwafezwa ngezindlela ezimbili ezibalulekile: (1) ngokujulisa isiqu somfula nokuphambukisa amanzi ukuba angayi emseleni omkhulu (2) nangokuphambukisa amanzi amaningi ngamagenerator aphehla amanzi ngogesi, ngaleyondlela kuncishiswa isilinganiso samanzi achithekela ngalé kwempophoma. Lokhu kuqondiswa yidamu elingenhla elinamasango amanzi angu-18. Manje ukugeleza kwamanzi phezu kwezimpophoma okugcwele kubakhona kuphela phakathi nezinyanga lapho izivakashi ziziningi kakhulu.
Kulinganiselwa ukuthi iHorseshoe Falls iphakeme ngamamitha angu-53 futhi ibanzi ngamamitha angu-792. IAmerican Falls engaphesheya komfula iphakeme ngamamitha angu-55 futhi ibanzi ngamamitha angu-305. Ingqikithi yesilinganiso esingalawuliwe samanzi angena kuzo zombili izimpophoma silinganiselwa kumalitha angaba yizigidi ezingu-7,6 ngomzuzwana.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abahamba Entanjeni Namadela-ngozi
Ababili abahamba entanjeni abadumile kakhulu, abanqamula isihosha soMfula iNiagara izikhathi eziningi kwakunguBlondin noFarini.
Umgilingwane kaBlondin omangalisa kakhulu wawuhilela isitofu esenziwe ngongcwecwe olusansimbi ayesiphethe esentanjeni, wasibeka phansi, wabasa umlilo, futhi wapheka iomelet. Wasika iomelet yaba izicucu ezincane, wazehlisela abagibeli ababesendaweni yokuhlala yesikebhe sokuvakasha iMaid of the Mist, esasilinde kude phansi.
UFarini, okungamelwe eqiwe, wayephethe umshini wokuwasha esentanjeni, wawubeka phansi, wadonsa amanzi ngebhakede emfuleni, futhi wawasha amaduku amaningana ezintokazi. Eseqedile ukuwawasha, wawaneka ezinsimbini zomshini eziqondile nezivundlile futhi wabuya namaduku ephephezela emoyeni.
Amadela-ngozi abekela inselele iHorseshoe Falls ngokuzivalela emigqonyeni, izitsha eziyindingilizi nakwezinye izitsha ukuze bazigibele beqe izimpophoma. Nakuba abanye basinda belimele, abaningi babulawa ukungawutholi umoya-mpilo, ukuminza, noma ukushayiseka emadwaleni lapho izimpophoma zigelezela khona. Lamadela-ngozi awasavunyelwa.
[Umthombo]
H. Armstrong Roberts
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Umbukiso ohlokomayo weHorseshoe Falls, lapho ubukwa esikebheni sokubuka indawo (ngaphambili), awunakulibaleka
IAmerican Falls (ngezansi) neHorseshoe Falls (ngenhla) nobuhle bazo obuhlaba umxhwele
Ukubenyezela kweqhwa nesithwathwa kuzungeza izimpophoma ebusika
[Umthombo]
Niagara Parks Commission
Umdwebo kaFrederic Church wango-1857 unothingo lwenkosazana
[Umthombo]
Frederic Edwin Church: NIAGARA/Corcoran Gallery of Art, Museum Purchase, 76.15