Linda Moig age l0 of Sioux Falls S.D
Where is Angel Falls?
James Angel was flying over the southeastern section of Venezuela. He was looking for Mount Auysaltepul among the rugged crests of the Sierra Paksaraima range. For there. an old prospector had told him. gold was to be found. Angel did not find any gold there. But he spied the silverwhite ribbon of a waterfall. He was not surprised For this was a region of high waterfalls. On the eastern slope of these mountains tumbles 2 000 n foot Kukenaam. At that time. Kukenaan was the highest know/waterfall in the world. Angel flew around to get a better view of his falls and returned to take photographs. This was. in 1935
Later a party arrived to check the measurements of James Angels waterfall. It was found that. it topped Kukenaam by over a 1,000 feet. It drops from a sheer cliff for 1148 feet without a break.. Imagined The; first step: of this waterfall is a half a mile of water streaming straight down: From there it bounces off pocks to a. stream below. The entire height. of the silver‑white cataract is 3212feet.
This giant of waterfalls is in a lonely part of the world. Much of the surrounding plateau is still unexplored. It is just north of the equator and tropical forests climb among the rugged mountain peaks Strange; birds flap their gaudy plumage among the thick trees. Brightly colored insects flutter in the sunlight. Monkeys. chatter from the foliage anteaters and peccaries root about‑ the forests floors. Pumas. jaguars and ocelots. watch with shining eyes. Dark vampire bats sleep. away the day waiting to pounce; in the night. Only a few. scattered Indians‑ live in the wild and dangerous territory.
Angel Falls. is. fed. by the downpours of the rainy seasons. Torrento of the rain fall through the summer months from May to November. For half the year. the rocky crests of the Sierra Pakaraimarange are drenched in water. The giant cataract carries tons of this water to the stream at its feet. The stream runoff to join the Caroni river. The Caroni carries the water down the water down the slope from the plateau to the low plain of central Venazue1a. There it ambles along the Orinoco River basin.. Venezuela chief river system. The Caroni merges with the Orinoco just before that river empties its waters into the Atlantic Ocean.
It would take almost 20 Niagara. Falls.. standing one on top of another to equal the height of Angel Falls. But Niagara need make no apologies. to the giant among cataracts. For the waters of Niagra are harnessed to generate useful electricity. It brings light and power to homes and factories. for miles around. Nor need the tumbling waters in the river at Sioux Falls: feel small. These waters too are harnessed too produce electricity for the homes and factories of busy people. Angel Falls is beautiful and maybe the biggest in the world. But it does not work for a living as do some of our old favorites.