Describing his first view, he wrote: “Creeping with awe to the verge, I peered down into a large rent which had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi, and saw that a stream of a thousand yards broad leaped down a hundred feet [30 m] and then became suddenly compressed into a space of fifteen to twenty yards. ”
Esimesi muljeid joast kirjeldas ta nii: „Roomanud kalju servale, vaatasin aukartust tundes alla suurde kuristikku, mis lahutas laia Zambezi jõe ühte kallast teisest. Vesi langes alla tuhande meetri laiuselt astangult ning sööstis kolmkümmend meetrit allapoole kitsasse 15 – 20 - meetrisesse kuristikku. ”