The Portland daily press., 1883-10-15
The Temples Destroyed in Java.
london Daily News.l

lLondon Daily News
About the middle of the island, but not
given on ordinary maps, there is group of
very remarkable old temples. Their posi-
ton may be roughly understood by refer
ence to any map of Java, by drawing line
south of Samarang to the other coast, where
a river will be found called the Progo, and
on the east of it there is town which has a
variety-of spellings, but it may be written
Djockjakarta--the Dutch call it "Jockioo
this place is also mentioned as having suf-
fered seriously. About 35 miles from Diock-
jakarta is the great temple of Boro Buddor
also called Boro Bodo and Boer Buddha.
The dome of this monument is stated to
have been crushed in by falling rocks. The
temple does not stand on the side of noun
tain, but on the top of hill, so this could
not have resulted from masses of rock roll
ing down upon it, The destruction must
be ascribed to huge fragments having been
thrown into the air and then descending
with terrific force. There is picture of
Martins in which the top of mountain is
rolling over, but extreme as that is, ii repre-
sents tame landscape in comparison with
the wild Walpurgis which went on in Java.
BorO Buddor is by far the largest and great
est monument of the Buddhist religion in
the East. The temple of Nakon Wat in
Cambodia is the only other that can be put
in comparison with it. The base is square,
and each side is about 400 feet long. The
upper portion is circular and about $50 feet
in height; there is one central dome, and
there are 10 smaller ones. On the terraces
round 1t there are between four and five
hundred chapels, each with statue of Bud
dha in them, seated in the usual cross-legged
position. The sides are covered all round
with bas-reliefs on each terrace, one terrace
has 120 subjects, which embrace the whole
history of Buddha. The temple is solid
mass of masonry, and is of the same kind as
the Dagobas of Southern India or the Tones
of the Northwest. Luckily, the Dutch gov
eminent some few. years ago had it all care
fully measured aud drawn, and the whole
has been published in large folio volume.
The first notice OF this temple was given by
Sir Stamford Rafiles, who al the time stated
that sthe interior of Java contains temples
that, as works of art, dwarf to nothing all
our wonder and admiration at the pyramids
of Egypt" Miss North has lately painted
pictures of Boro Buddor on the spot About
20 miles southeast of Boro Buddor is place
called Brambanam. This is the site of the
ancient capitalof Java, and there are very
large number of temples standing, which
have more or less suffered from former earth
quakes. One of the celebrated groups at
this place is known as the Chandi silva. or
the Thousand Temples" This is also said
to have suffered. There is volcano some
where near to these and to Boro Buddor.
called Mt. Merapia, which has probably been
the active agent in this case. About two
miles and half from Boro Buddor there is
has not the reputation of those already men
toned, and it has not been alluded to as yet
in the fragmentary intelligence that has
come home. 1t is only fertile or rich
country that can produce large and elabo-
rate temples. Java possessed the necessary
qualifications, and her temples have been
wonder to all who have seen them