The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-08

n d
ing apparently the double purpose OF
munlties. the Inhabitants OF which dwelt
in adjacent beehive huts OF mud. Down
the valley to the northwest runs for mile or
moro a long wall OF Irregular stones roughly
nut together. such q wall as Kanlrs would erect
to-day to protect themselves from an enemy.
This wall the explorer does not connect with
the more ancient and regularly built cdinces.
but ascribes it's erection to period when Zulu
hordes swept down upon the country He adds
that. for many miles In every direction. he
sought Indications Of q cemetery which the
ancient Inhabitants OF the ruins might have
used. All his searches were in vain. and he
arrived at the conclusion that the ancient In
habitants. who formed but garrison In this
region. were In the habit Of removing their
dead to some safer place This plan seems to
have had a precedent in ancient Arabia, proof
OF which Is to be found on the BAH
rian Islands In the Persian GULL where
acres and ncres OF mounds contain
thousands Of tombs although no vestige OF q
town is to be found anywhere near them. The
author next proceeds to describe the hill
fortress. approaching 1t from the valley below.
Here again the intricacy OF the interior can
only be appreciated by a glance at the plan.
The site itself OF the acropoiis is OF great
IL.
by gigantic granite boulders and on another
by a precipice from 20 to 90 feet in height
while on the only accessible aide the ancient
inhabita nts constructed wall Of surprising
thickness. This wall IL - feet thick on the
summit: II is 30 feet high In parts. and the
fiat caueeway on tho top was decorated on
the outside edge by succession oil small.
round towers alternating with tall mono
lths. Tho redundancy Of Notifications all
over tho mountain. the seemingly use
less construction OF walls over preci-
pice itself inaccessible. the care with which
every hole In the boulders through which an
arrow could pass is closed prove that the oc-
cupants were In constant dread OF attack and
lived like garrison in the heart Of an enemy's
country. The southwestern part OF the ruins
on the acropols once obviously formed tenn
ple. On removing the soil the excavators
came to q level cement floor. supported on an
Ella borate system Of under walls. In the centre
OF this floor stood an altar. an angular struc-
ture of small granite blocks. When the soil
which had buried this altar was removed
there were found around 1t phalli hawklike
birds. soapstone pillars. and fragments OF
soapstone bowls. which are discussed In detail
To the south OF the temple flight OF steps
led down to gold Ism citing furnaces and caves.
Such" says the author. summing up
OF Zimbabwe. tho most mysterious and COM
plex structure that it has ever been my
fate to look upon. Vainly one tries to realize
what it must have been like in the day before
ruin fell upon 1t. with It's tortuous and we'll
guarded approaches. it's walls bristlinC with
monoiths and round towers. its temple dec
grated with tall. weird-looking birds. its huge
decorated bowls. and in the innermost re-
ceases its busy. gold producing furnaces What
kind OF life was led By its occupants2 Why
did the inhabitants so carefully guard them-
selves against attack A thousand questions
suggest them selves which one essays in vain
to answer. The only parallel sensation that
have had was when viewing the long avenues
of menhirs near Carnac in Brittany. sensa-
ton at once fascinating and vexatious. for
one feels the utter hopelessness OF learn
ing all one would wish upon the sub
ject. Considered alone. this fortress is mar
veil but. when it is viewed in combination
with the large circular building below. the
numerous ruins scattered around and the other
remains Of a liko nature at distance one can
not fail to recoR niz, the vastness and power OF
this ancient race as we'll as their great con-
stru ctive ingenuity and strategic skill