UMfula IThames—Ifa Eliyingqayizivele LaseNgilandi

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EBRITHANI

UMfula iThames uqala emithonjeni emine esendaweni ekhangayo yaseCotswold Hills enkabeni yeNgilandi eseningizimu. Njengoba uzombeza amakhilomitha angu-350 uya ngasempumalanga, uhlangana neminye imifula kuze kuthi ekugcineni uchithele esizalweni somfula esingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-29 ububanzi eNorth Sea. Iyamangalisa indlela lo mfula omfushane owathonya ngayo umlando waseNgilandi.

UJULIUS CAESAR wayehola lapho amaRoma eqala ukuhlasela eNgilandi cishe ngo-55 B.C.E. Lapho ebuya ngonyaka olandelayo, wahluleka ukuhlasela ngoba evinjwe umfula awubiza ngokuthi i-Tamesis, iThames. Kwashiyelwa kuMbusi WaseRoma uClaudius ukuba anqobe leli zwe eminyakeni engu-90 kamuva.

Ngaleso sikhathi zombili izinhlangothi zeThames zazinamaxhaphozi, kodwa kamuva ibutho lamaRoma lakha ibhuloho lezingodo lapho ulwandle luqala khona ukuba namandla endaweni engamakhilomitha angu-50 ukusuka esizalweni somfula. Bakha ichweba elibizwa ngokuthi iLondinium osebeni lomfula olusenyakatho.a

Emakhulwini amane eminyaka alandela, amaRoma andisa izindlela zokuhwebelana namanye amazwe aseYurophu futhi athenga nezinto zokunethezeka eMedithera—ngisho nezingodo zaseLebhanoni. IThames ayeyisebenzisa nanjengomzila wokuthutha izimpahla ezilethwa eLondon zivela maphakathi nezwe, okwenza ukuba ngokushesha leli dolobha elalinemigwaqo eminingi emikhulu libe isikhungo sezohwebo esibalulekile.

Ithonya LikaWilliam UMnqobi

Ngemva kokuwa koMbuso WamaRoma, amabutho amaRoma ashiya iBrithani ngo-410 C.E., iLondon yabe isishiywa kanjalo futhi nokuhwebelana ngasemfuleni iThames kwaya ngokuya kuncipha. Amakhosi amaNgisi ayegcotshwa eKingston—idolobhana elingamakhilomitha angu-19 uma uya ngenhla nomfula ukusuka eLondon, lapho kwakulula khona ukuwela uMfula iThames—kwaze kwaba ngekhulu le-11 lapho uWilliam uMnqobi ehlasela esuka eNormandy. Ngemva kokugcotshwa njengenkosi eWestminster ngo-1066, wakha iTower of London phakathi edolobheni lamaRoma elibiyelwe ukuze abuse futhi adlondlobalise ukuhweba ngemikhumbi alawule ukuphuma nokungena kwayo echwebeni. Uhwebo lwaphinde lwachuma futhi, nenani labantu eLondon lakhuphuka lafinyelela cishe kubantu abangu-30 000.

UWilliam uMnqobi wakha nenqaba phezulu egqumeni le-limestone ebangeni elingaba amakhilomitha angu-35 entshonalanga yeLondon, endaweni namuhla eyaziwa ngokuthi iWindsor. Yathatha indawo yesigodlo samaSaxon futhi iThames ngaphesheya ibonakala kahle kakhulu uma ulapho. Inqaba iWindsor Castle iwumphumela wokulungiswa nokwandiswa kwale nqaba izikhathi eziningi, futhi iseyindawo ethandwa kakhulu abantu abavakashela eBrithani.

Ngo-1209 kwaqedwa umsebenzi wokwakha owawuthathe iminyaka engu-30—ibhuloho lamatshe elinqamula iThames eLondon—elokuqala ngqa ukwenziwa ngale ndlela eYurophu. Lesi sakhiwo esiyingqayizivele, okwakhiwa kuso izitolo, izindlu, ngisho nethempeli, sasinamabhuloho amabili avalekayo nenqaba yokuzivikela eSouthwark, ngasohlangothini oluseningizimu.

INkosi uJohn yaseNgilandi (1167-1216) yasayina umthetho odumile okuthiwa i-Magna Carta ngo-1215 eRunnymede, eMfuleni iThames eduze kwaseWindsor. Ngenxa yalo mthetho waphoqeleka ukuba angavikeli nje amalungelo abantu baseNgilandi kuphela kodwa ikakhulu inkululeko yabantu bedolobha laseLondon neyabahwebi abasebenza echwebeni lakhona.

UMfula IThames Uletha Ukuchuma

Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka alandela, ukuhweba kwachuma eMfuleni iThames. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukwanda kohwebo kwenza umfula wasebenza kakhulu. Eminyakeni engu-200 edlule, uMfula iThames wawunendawo okwakungaboshelwa kuyo imikhumbi engu-600 kuphela emtateni, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba nemikhumbi engaba ngu-1 775 elinde ukungena echwebeni izokwehlisa izimpahla. Ngenxa yalokhu kuminyana, ukweba kwaba inkinga enkulu. Amasela ayenqamula izintambo okuboshwe ngazo imikhumbi emtateni ebusuku ukuze ayiphange, futhi abantu abanezikebhe ezincane babephila ngokuthutha izimpahla ezebiwe eMfuleni iThames. Ukuze kuxazululwe le nkinga, umkhandlu-dolobha waseLondon wasungula ibutho lokuqala ngqa emhlabeni lamaphoyisa asemfuleni. Namanje lisasebenza.

Nokho, kuningi okwakudingeka ukuze kuncishiswe ukuminyana kuleli chweba. Ngakho-ke, phakathi nekhulu le-19, iPhalamende LaseNgilandi lavuma ukwakha amachweba abiyelwe amakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni, ayezonwetshelwa endaweni engaphansana komfula ngokuphakama nhlangothi zombili zawo. Amachweba iSurrey Commercial Dock, iLondon Dock kanye namachweba iWest ne-East India aqedwa kuqala, ekuqaleni kwawo-1800, kwalandela iRoyal Victoria Dock ngo-1855 kanye neRoyal Albert Dock eyakhelene nayo ngo-1880.

Onjiniyela ababili—ubaba nendodana—uMarc I. no-Isambard K. Brunel, bakha intunja yokuqala ngqa emhlabeni ngaphansi kwamanzi eyayihlanganisa izinhlangothi zombili zosebe loMfula iThames ngo-1840. Ubude bayo bungamamitha angu-459 futhi isasetshenziswa njengengxenye yezintunja zezitimela ezihamba ngaphansi komhlaba eLondon. Ngo-1894 iTower Bridge, ibhuloho elithandwa izivakashi namuhla, yaqedwa ukwakhiwa. Izinsika ezimbili eziyisisekelo salo zingamamitha angu-76 ukuphakama ukuze imikhumbi emikhulu ikwazi ukudlula phakathi kwezinqaba zalo ezimbili. Uma uthanda ukukhuphuka izitebhisi ezicishe zibe ngu-300, ungaphumela phezulu endaweni yokuhambahamba, ukwazi ukubona indawo enhle ngokumangalisayo ngamsemfuleni.

Ngekhulu lama-20, ichweba laseLondon lase likuhlomele ukusingatha inani elikhulayo lemikhumbi emikhulu eletha izimpahla ezidayiswa edolobheni. Lapho kwakhiwa umtata wokugcina ngo-1921, owaqanjwa ngeNkosi uGeorge V, iLondon yase “iyichweba elikhulu futhi elicebe kunawo wonke emhlabeni.”

UMfula Onezigodlo Nosingatha Imikhosi Yasebukhosini Nemibukiso

Lapho iLondon isathuthuka, imigwaqo yaqhubeka isesimweni esingesihle ingenalo netiyela, futhi ngokuvamile kwakungahambeki kuyo ebusika. Ngakho-ke, indlela esheshayo nenengqondo yokuhamba kwaba uMfula iThames, okwathi ngokuhamba kweminyaka waba indlela yokuhamba ephithizela kakhulu. Ingoma eyaziwayo ethi “Oars!” yaqanjwa abagwedli bezikebhe baseMfuleni iThames, njengoba bephithizela ezitebhisini ezisosebeni lomfula bebanga abagibeli abazobawelisela ngaphesheya, babathuthele ngenhla noma ngezansi nomfula noma emifudlaneni ezombezayo njengomfudlana iFleet neWalbrook, eseyagqitshwa yimigwaqo yaseLondon ebizwa ngalawo magama.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iLondon yagcina isibukeka njengeVenice, inezigodlo eziningi ezinhle ezehlela emfuleni. Ukuhlala ngasosebeni loMfula iThames kwaba yimfashini kwabasebukhosini, njengoba isigodlo saseGreenwich, esaseWhitehall nesaseWestminster zikufakazela. Ngokufanayo, iHampton Court ibilokhu iyikhaya lamakhosi nezindlovukazi zaseNgilandi, kanti iWindsor Castle engenhla nomfula, isaqhubeka iyisigodlo sasebukhosini.

Ngo-1717, uGeorge Frideric Handel wabhala ingoma enesihloko esithi “Water Music,” ukuze ajabulise iNkosi uGeorge I ngosuku lwepikiniki yasebukhosini eyenzelwa emfuleni. Iphephandaba elithile langaleso sikhathi labika ukuthi isikebhe senkosi sasiphelekezelwa “yiZikebhe Eziningi kangangokuba kwakusengathi wonke uMfula umbozwe yilezi zikebhe.” Isikebhe esasiseduze kwesasebukhosini sasinabadlali bomculo abangu-50, abadlala ingoma kaHandel izikhathi ezintathu njengoba abasebukhosini behanjiswa ngesikebhe ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-8 ukusuka eWestminster ukuya eChelsea.

UMfula Onikeza Injabulo Nokuphumula

Kuze kube yilapho kwakhiwa iWestminster Bridge ngawo-1740, okuwukuphela kwendlela yokuwela uMfula iThames ngezinyawo kwakuyiLondon Bridge, ibhuloho elalungiswa kamuva futhi ekugcineni lathathelwa indawo ngelinye ngawo-1820. Izinsika ezisekela amakhothamo angu-19 esakhiwo setshe sokuqala zazikuphazamisa kakhulu ukugeleza komfula. Ngenxa yalokho, phakathi neminyaka engaba ngu-600 ibhuloho likhona, uMfula iThames wasitshekelwa yiqhwa okungenani izikhathi ezingu-8. Lapho lokhu kwenzeka, kwakwenziwa “imibukiso yaseqhweni” emikhulu, lapho kwakuba nemidlalo ehlukahlukene khona. Kwakosiwa izinkunzi, futhi abasebukhosini babebonakala bedla lapho. Izincwadi namathoyizi abhalwe ukuthi “kuthengwe eThames” kwakuthengwa ubuthaphuthaphu. Amaphephandaba ngisho namakhophi oMthandazo WeNkosi ayenyatheliswa emishinini ebekwe emfuleni oyiqhwa!

Ezikhathini zanamuhla, umjaho okuthiwa i-University Boat Race, umncintiswano phakathi kweyunivesithi yase-Oxford neyaseCambridge, usuyisenzakalo sasentwasahlobo saminyaka yonke. Izixuku zishaya ujenga osebeni loMfula iThames phakathi kwePutney neMortlake zizobongela amaqembu ancintisanayo, ngalinye elinabantu abangu-8 abagwedla izikebhe ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-7 ngemizuzu engaphansi kuka-20. Umjaho wokuqala wabanjelwa enhla nomfula ngo-1829 eHenley. Ngemva kokuba umncintiswano usushintshelwe ngezansi nomfula, umkhandlu-dolobha waseHenley waxhasa owawo umjaho wezikebhe ogunyazwe abasebukhosini, okuwumjaho omdala futhi onodumo kunayo yonke eYurophu. Uheha abagwedli besilisa nabesifazane abaphambili emhlabeni wonke emijahweni okugwedlwa kuyo amamitha angaphezu kwangu-1 600. Lo mjaho wezikebhe wasehlobo usuyisenzakalo esiphenduke umbuthano othandwayo.

Incwadi yokuqondisa izivakashi eBrithani ithi eMfuleni iThames “kutholakala izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokuzijabulisa njengoba unqamula emaphandleni aseNgilandi anamagquma, amahlathi, izimfunda, izindlu zasemaphandleni, imizana emihle namadolobhana. . . . Kunamabanga amade asosebeni lwalo mfula angenamigwaqo kodwa ngokuvamile kukhona izindlela zamahhashi adonsa izikebhe. Ngenxa yalokho nakuba abahamba ngezimoto bengase babubone ubuhle bawo lapho besemadolobhaneni agudle lo mfula, ubuhle obuthule boMfula iThames bungajatshulelwa kakhulu yilowo osesikebheni noma ohamba ngezinyawo.”

Ingabe uhlela ukuvakashela eNgilandi? Khona-ke zinike isikhathi sokuyobona uMfula iThames, uthi ukuzwa ngomlando wawo. Kusukela endaweni enhle lapho usuka khona emaphandleni kuya esizalweni sawo esiphithizelayo, kuningi kakhulu ongase ukubone, ukwenze, futhi ukufunde! UMfula iThames ngeke ukuphoxe.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 27]

IZINCWADI NOMFULA ITHAMES

UJerome K. Jerome wabhala ngesimo esizolile soMfula iThames encwadini yakhe ethi Three Men in a Boat. Ilandisa ngeholidi labangane abathathu ababegwedla isikebhe besuka eHampton Court beya e-Oxford bekhuphuka ngalo mfula behamba nenja yabo. Nakuba yabhalwa ngo-1889 futhi isihunyushwe kakhulu, iseyincwadi “ehlekisayo” ethandwa kakhulu.

Incwadi ethi The Wind in the Willows ingenye indaba eyaziwa kakhulu, ejatshulelwa abantu abadala nezingane ngokufanayo. Njengoba yaqedwa ngo-1908 uKenneth Grahame, owayehlala ePangbourne, idolobhana eliseduze noMfula iThames, iyinganekwane yezilwane ezihlala emfuleni noma osebeni lwawo.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 27]

INKOSI IBHEKENE NOMFULA ITHAMES

INkosi uJames I, eyabusa engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu le-17, yake yafuna opondo abangu-20 000 kuyi-Corporation of London. Lapho uMphathi-dolobha engavumi, inkosi yamsongela: “Ngizokwenza incithakalo wena nedolobha lakho kuze kube phakade. Ngizosusa izinkantolo zami zomthetho, iSigodlo sami uqobo, nePhalamende lami ngiliyise eWinchester noma e-Oxford, bese ngiyenza ihlane iWestminster; manje cabanga ukuthi uyoba yini wena!” Umphathi-dolobha waphendula: “Kuyosala into eyodwa nje eyohlala iyinduduzo kubahwebi baseLondon: nkosi ngeke ukwazi ukuthatha uMfula iThames.”

[Umthombo]

From the book Ridpath’s History of the World (Vol. VI)

[Amabalazwe ekhasini 24]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ENGLAND

London

UMfula IThames

[Umthombo]

Map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

Umbhoshongo iBig Ben nePhalamende, eWestminster, eLondon

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

lLondon Bridge, eyakhiwa ngamatshe, ngo-1756

[Umthombo]

From the book Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its Peopl, and Its Places (Vol. II)

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Lo mbhalo oqoshiwe wango-1803 ubonisa umfula iThames amakhulu emikhumbi eboshelwe emtateni

[Umthombo]

Corporation of London, London Metropolitan Archive

[Isithombe ekhasini 26, 27]

Umbhalo oqoshiwe wombukiso waseqhweni wango-1683

[Umthombo]

From the book Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places (Vol. III)