IYellowstone—Iziko Lamanzi, Amadwala Nomlilo

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! e-United States

Uma ukhuluma ngento yokuqala ngqá nedlula ezinye—indawo yokuqala kahulumeni yokulondoloza imvelo emhlabeni, imithombo yamanzi ashisayo edumile nejule kunayo yonke emhlabeni, ichibi elisentabeni elikhulu kunawo wonke eNyakatho Melika. Ukhuluma ngeYellowstone.

SIPHETHWE yilukuluku mina nomkami sangena ngasenyakatho yeYellowstone National Park eWyoming, e-U.S.A. Kusukela siseyizingane, igama elithi i-Old Faithful namagama anjengelithi “umthombo wamanzi ashisayo” nelithi “isiphethu samanzi ashisayo” ayesithakazelisa. Ingabe sasizokubona ngempela esasikulindele?

Esangweni elikhulu lale ndawo yokulondoloza imvelo, sabona ikhothamo letshe elikhulu. Phezulu laliqoshwe amazwi athi: “Kwenzelwe ukuba abantu bazuze futhi bajabule.” Njengoba yavulwa ngo-1872, iYellowstone yaba indawo yokuqala kahulumeni yokulondoloza imvelo emhlabeni.

Saqala eMammoth Hot Springs, engasemngceleni weMontana. Lapha, ukushisa okuvela ngaphansi komhlaba kwakubonakala ukuthi kuyasebenza ngempela. Amanzi ayebila emachibini nasemigodini. Kwakukhuphuka izikhatha zesitimu emifantwini. Kwakunemisele yeminerali ebomvana ebizwa ngokuthi i-travertine enjengekhandlela elincibilikile.

Yini Le Ebila Ngaphansi KweYellowstone?

IYellowstone inemithombo yamanzi ashisayo emangalisayo engaba ngu-10 000. IContinental Dividea inqamula leli thafa eliphakeme lentaba iRocky. Amanzi agelezela ngasentshonalanga nangasempumalanga kodwa abuye azike phansi. Safunda ukuthi yila manzi azikayo enza iYellowstone yenze izimangaliso. Kwake kwaqhuma izintaba-mlilo ubuthaphuthaphu kuleli thafa. Ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ezidlule, enye yashiya umgodi omkhulu ongamakhilomitha angu-75 ubude namakhilomitha angu-45 ububanzi. I-magma, noma amadwala ancibilikile asengaphansi agcina iYellowstone ibila.

Imibukiso yakule ndawo iyachaza ukuthi amanzi aphezulu angena emadwaleni anezimbobo aze ayofika edwaleni elishisa kakhulu, elingaphezu nje kwamadwala ancibilikile. Ukushisa kuphindisela la manzi emuva phezulu. Lapho ethola khona imbobo, kwakheka umthombo wamanzi ashisayo. Lapho izithiyo eziningi edwaleni zivimbela ukukhuphuka kwamanzi ashisayo, ayavaleleka bese kwakheka iziphethu zamanzi ashisayo. Kwezinye izindawo umswakama uphuma uyisitimu. Lezi zimbobo zibizwa ngokuthi ama-fumarole. Imigodi enodaka iyagxabha lapho amagesi ane-asidi namanzi ebolisa khona inhlabathi ayenze udaka nobumba. Yeka umbukwane!

I-Old Faithful

Lapho sibona zonke izinto ezenzeka emithonjeni yamanzi ashisayo eMammoth Hot Springs, sacabanga ukuthi sisendaweni yesiphethu samanzi ashisayo esidumile i-Old Faithful. Saze sabona lapho sesihlola ibalazwe lethu ukuthi i-Old Faithful isebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-80 eningizimu. IYellowstone inkulu kakhulu kunalokho esasikucabanga, ingamahektare angu-900 000.

Ukuze sifike kuyi-Old Faithful, sathatha umgwaqo omazombezombe oshona entshonalanga yale ndawo; uqondisa izivakashi zidlule eziphethwini zamanzi ashisayo ezinhlanu. Ngokushesha asibange sisalinaka iphunga lesibabule nokubona umhwamuko.

Njengezigidi zabantu ezazivakashele i-Old Faithful ngaphambi kwethu, sasifuna ukwazi ukuthi isiphethu sizophethuka nini. Sasihlale sicabanga ukuthi siqhuma njalo ngemva kwesikhathi esithile—ngemva kwemizuzu engu-57. Kodwa kwathi lapho siqalaza sabona uphawu oluthi ukuqhuma kwalesi siphethu okulandelayo kwakuzoba ngo-12:47 emini. Kwakusasele ihora lonke, futhi lesi sikhathi esishiwo kwakumane kuwukubikezela nje! Sabuza uRick, umqaphi wale ndawo.

Wathi: “I-Old Faithful ayiqhumi ngesikhathi esifanayo njalo. Izikhathi eqhuma ngazo ziyashintshashintsha, futhi eminyakeni yamuva isiqhuma ngemva kwesikhathi eside ngenxa yokuzamazama komhlaba nangenxa yokuthi abantu abacekela phansi balahla izinto emlonyeni wayo. Namuhla isilinganiso sesikhathi esiphakathi kokuqhuma ngakunye imizuzu engu-80. Izisebenzi zikwazi ukubikezela isikhathi sokuqhuma okukodwa ngesikhathi.”

Manje kwase kungu-12:30 emini. Sasondela kuyi-Old Faithful ukuze sibone umbukiso wayo olandelayo obikezelwe. Amakhulu abantu ayehleli endaweni yezibukeli noma esendleleni eya lapho. I-Old Faithful yasilindisa imizuzu eyishumi. Kodwa lapho iqhuma, yayiyinhle ngendlela engenakuboniswa yisithombe. Ngemva kokuphethuka kancane izihlandla ezimbalwa, yasho phezulu. Wonke umuntu washaya ihlombe. Ukuphethuka kwathatha imizuzu emithathu, futhi sajabula ngoba kwaphakama kakhulu. Amanzi atshazayo ayekhuphuka ehla, efinyelela kumamitha angu-37 kuya kwangu-46. Amanzi atshazayo ayehlatshwa imisebe yelanga futhi eshintshashintsha ngezindlela ezingafani.

Lapho sekuphelile, saphindela ehhotela eliseduze. Nokho, i-Old Faithful yaqhubeka iqhuma ngamandla ayo. Usuku lonke, uma isikhathi okuthiwe izophethuka ngaso sisondela, zonke izivakashi zazishiya phansi ezazikwenza zihambe ziyoyibuka. Yaqhuma kaningana ithatha isikhathi eside futhi iphakama kakhulu ibe yinhle, ikakhulukazi lapho amanzi akhuphukayo enza ithunzi elangeni elase liyozilahla kunina. Sathola ukuthi lesi siphethu esidala sithembeke ngempela.

URick, umqaphi wale ndawo wasitshela: “Zingaphansi kuka-500 iziphethu ezisemhlabeni wonke, kanti cishe ezingu-300 zazo ziseYellowstone. Ezingu-160 zazo zikulesi sigodi esincane, i-Upper Geyser Basin, esingamakhilomitha amabili ubude. Ezinye iziphethu ziyafika zidlule—ziyaphethuka noma zithule—kodwa i-Old Faithful isalokhu ikhona.” Noma kunjalo, umakhelwane we-Old Faithful, iGrand, iphethuka iphakame ngamamitha angaba ngu-60. ISteamboat ingaphethuka iphakame ngamamitha angu-120, okuphindwe izikhathi ezintathu kunokuphakama kwe-Old Faithful—kodwa ingahlala iminyaka ingaphethuki. ENorris, isiphethu i-Echinus sithela izibukeli zaso ngamanzi afudumele ngezinye izikhathi.

Ukubalekela Inyathi

Ngakusasa ekuseni sabukeza incwadi yezivakashi. Yathi: “Amanzi ashisayo angaphansi koqweqwe oluncane oluqhephukayo; amachibi anamanzi abilayo. Unyaka ngamunye izivakashi eziphuma endleleni ezindaweni zale mithombo ziye zasha kabi, futhi abantu baye babulawa amanzi abilayo.” Enye yayithi: “Isixwayiso: Izivakashi eziningi ziye zahlatshwa yinyathi. Inyathi inesisindo esingaba amakhilogremu angu-900 futhi ingagijima ngejubane elingamakhilomitha angu-50 ngehora, ijubane eliphindwe kathathu kunelakho.” Sahlalela ethembeni lokuthi kwakungeke kudingeke sibalekele inyathi!

EYellowstone, izilwane zinelungelo lokudlula kuqala emigwaqweni. Uma kuqhamuka isilwane, izimoto zivele zime futhi kube nesiminyaminya sezimoto ezindaweni ezingalindelekile. Kwakusanda kuphela esinye isiminyaminya lapho sifika, izivakashi seziphindela ezimotweni. Lapho sibuza owesifazane othile ukuthi abantu bebebukani, wathi: “Bekuyi-moose yeduna enkulu, kodwa isihambile.”

Ngemva kwalokho sabuka inyamazane izama ukuweza inkonyane layo elalinamasonto amabili emfuleni. Zazehlela phansi zisuka ezintabeni lapho zazichithé khona ubusika. Amankonyane ayengafuni ukuhamba—ayengazimisele ukuwela emanzini. Onina bala mankonyane baqhubeka bewaweza, aze agcina esewelile.

“Ukuba Yize Nokungabi Nalusizo Kwami”

Ngokulandelayo sahamba saya eGrand Canyon yeYellowstone. Sasilokhu sima sehla emotweni ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zalesi sigodi esingamamitha angu-360 ukuphakama sibuke—ngezinye izikhathi sasingabaza ukuma. Encwadini yakhe yohambo ka-1870, uNathaniel Langford wakhuluma “ngokuba yize nokungabi nalusizo kwami” lapho ebuka le ngoxi engamakhilomitha angu-32 nezindonga zobumba oluphuzi ezigqamile—lapho kususelwa khona igama loMfula iYellowstone—nezimpophoma ezimbili eziphakeme. Sazizwa siyize futhi singenalusizo njengaye.

Ngakusasa saya ngasempumalanga. Nalapho futhi isimo sale ndawo sashintsha. Lapha iyihlathi eliphakeme, futhi umgwaqo uyinqamula kabili iContinental Divide. Sasilokhu sibona izinyathi nezinye izilwane ezinkulu, izinyathi zimi ngendlela yokuthi sibone uhlangothi lwazo kuphela. Ngokudabukisayo asibonanga nelilodwa ibhere—enye yezinto ezikhanga izivakashi eYellowstone. Ashonaphi?

Phakathi neminyaka, ukusondelana kakhulu kwabantu namabhere kwabangela ukuba ezinye izivakashi zilimale noma zife. Lesi simo saba sibi nakuwo amabhere. Ngakho ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1970, iNational Park Service yavala izindawo okwakulahlwa kuzo udoti, ngaleyo ndlela yenza ukuba amabhere angabe esathembela ekudleni kwabantu. Lokhu kwenza ukuba amabhere aye endle. Lolu hlelo lwaphumelela. Manje amabhere asedla izinto zemvelo futhi aphila kangcono. Nokho, ayaqhubeka ehlangana nezivakashi ezindaweni ezithile, njengaseFishing Bridge, lapho kokubili amabhere nabantu bedla, belala futhi bedoba khona.

Sasizogcina eFishing Bridge. Kwakulapho-ke lapho sabona khona isimangaliso sokugcina esikhulu kule ndawo. Njengoba sasiseChibini iYellowstone—ichibi elisentabeni elikhulu kunawo wonke eNyakatho Melika—sibuka ngalé eTeton embozwe yiqhwa, okwesikhashana sacabanga ukuthi sasisenyakatho ye-Italy; ichibi nokuma kwalo kwakubukeka futhi kuphakeme ngendlela efanayo. Nokho, ayengekho amabhere.

Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuhamba eYellowstone. Sasibheme sakholwa. Sasibone okungaphezu kwesasikulindele.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Imililo Ka-1988

Ngasekupheleni kuka-July nango-August ka-1988, imililo emincane yaseYellowstone ngokushesha yaba imililo yequbula ezindaweni ezingu-8 futhi yangalawuleka. Isomiso sasingenye yezimbangela, njengoba ihlobo lika-1988 lalomise kunawo wonke emlandweni weYellowstone. Esinye isizathu kwakungumoya omkhulu. Njengoba wawuvunguza ngamakhilomitha angu-80 ngehora, wawubhebhethekisa umlilo ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-20 ngosuku. Wawuthumela izinhlansi phambili emabangeni abacimi bomlilo ababengakaze babhekane nawo. Lezi zinhlansi zazithungela eminye imililo.

Imizamo yokucima umlilo eyadla ama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-120 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-830) yahlanganisa cishe abantu nebutho labacimi bomlilo abangu-10 000 kanye namaloli okucima umlilo angaphezu kwekhulu. Izindiza ezinophephela emhlane nezindiza ezithwala amathangi zachitha cishe amalitha ayizigidi ezinhlanu ezinto zokucima umlilo namalitha ayizigidi ezingu-40 amanzi. Enganqandeki ngale mizamo, amalangabi eqa amangqabithi kule ndawo, acishe aqothula imiphakathi eminingana. Kwaphela izinsuku kugcwele intuthu emoyeni. Ngasekupheleni kwehlobo, le ndawo yayisifana nenkundla yempi. Kwaze kwaba ngo-September, ngemva kokuba sekushe indawo engamahektare angu-600 000, imililo yaphela iqedwa umoya opholile, izimvula zasekwindla nesithwathwa.

Imililo yacishe yazilimaza izilwane, futhi izivakashi ziye zaqala ukuthutheleka kancane kancane. Lapho intuthu iphela, amahlamvu asekwindla agqamisa le ndawo, futhi entwasahlobo izimbali zasendle zaqhakaza kakhulu endaweni ezazingakaze zibonwe kuyo. Eminyakeni engemva kwemililo, sekuye kwamila izihlahla zamboza yonke le ndawo eyayihangulwe umlilo.

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I-Old Faithful

Impophoma iLower

[Imithombo]

NPS Photo

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UMfula iFirehole

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IChibi iMorning Glory

[Umthombo]

NPS Photo