The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12

bhW B WI o"y
scriptions published gave the impression that
the ruins are far moro considerable than they
really are:
S~4,N
Scattered over the plateau OF southern Ma
shonaluni and Matabeleland. from its noun.
famous edge on" the east to the nciRhborhood Of
Tati on tho west. are to be found fragments of
walls built of small blocks of granite resem-
bling paving stones usually n foot long by six
inches high, but often larger). not cut smooth,
but chtpped or trimmed to a fairly uniform size.
These walls are without mortar or other &C.
mentihg material. but the stones are SO neatly
Get together and the wall usually so thick that
the structure is compact and cohesive. Tho
walls are mostly thinner at the top than at the
base. vThe only ornamentation consists In plac-
ing some of the layers at an acute angle to the
other layers above and below. SO as to produce
what IS called the herring.bone pattern.
Occasipnally ssdifferent pattern is obtained by
leaving spaces at intervals between the hori-
commissioners OF certain layers. making a kin
of diapers.Tn some cases this ornamentation.
always very simple. occurs, only on one part OF
the wall, and 1t has been said that 1t occurs
usually, II not Invariably. on the part which
faces the east. Mr.. Bryce heard of ten or twelve,
such pieces of wall in different parts Of the
plateau, and saw photographs of most of them.
FTODaDly ObutIo cAlob, w dig uiobllSVos Copo-
cially in tho hills. have been imperfectly ex.
plored, and trees easily conceal the low cree
tons. One was described to the author where
the walls are the facinRs of seven terraces. ris-
ing one,hHbse another to a3sort of platform or
the top. The largest and most remarkable group
of ruins, which Mr.. Bryce did not fail to see. is
situated seventeen miles from Port Victoria,
and goes by the name of the Great Zimbabwye.
This Bantu word is said to denote q stone build
0r- hut hoa ofton haan y,Ga1 m haacrjhe the raaf,
dence of q great chief. whatever tho materials
of which it Is constructed. 1t is q common
noun, and not the name Of one particular place.
Europeans, however, conflne it to this one ruin,
or rather to two ruined buildings near each
other. One of these is on the top of q rocky and.
In parts, precipitous hill; tho other lies In q
valley half a mile from tho foot Of
the htf.s' The former. which our author
calls the fort, consists of q line of wall,
in places double. defending the moro
accessible parts of the eastern and southeast
ern end of the hill or kopje. which Is about 500
feet high and breaks down on its southern side
in o nearly vertical sheet of granite. Tho walls,
which in some places are thirty feet high, are
all built of small trimmed blocks. of granite,
such as were described above. without mortar.
but neatly fitted together. They are in excel
lent preservation and are skilfully constructed
in q sort of labyrinth SO as to cover all the points
where an enemy might approach. From the
openings in the wall, where doors were probably
placed. passages are carried inward. very mar
row and winding. SO that only ono person at q
time can pass, and completely commanded by
the high wall on either side. Everything
speaks OF defence, and, considering the
Hudeness of the materials, everything is
very well adapted for efficient defence. There
ls no sort of ornament in the walls except that,
here and there. at the entrapces. some stones
are laid transverselyt to the others. and certain
long, thin pieces Of a slatish stone, rounded SO
that one might call them stone p~oles-they are
about five to seven feet long-project from the
top of the wall. There is no trace of an arch OF
vaulted roof. There are walled-in spaces
which look like chambers, but none of these has
aroof; they were doubtless covered with the
brancheA of trees, Very few objects have beer
found throwing any light on the object of The
building or on its builders; even these few have
been now removed, except some small pieces o.
sandstone, a rock not found In the neiGhborhood
which, 1t has boon conjectured. may have beer
brought for the purposes of mining.
The other building Is much more noteworthy
1t stands on II slight eminence on tho leve
ground between tho hill on which the fort Il
erected. and another somewhat lower grant
hill. andis about a third of a mile from the fort
IT consists of a wall rather elliptical than cir
culAr in form. from thirty to forty feet high
fourteen feet thick near the ground and iron
six to nine thick at the tSp. where one can wal
along a considerable part with little difficulty
This wall Is built of the same small, wei
trimmed blocks ofgranitc. nicely fitted together
and for moro than half the circumference Is 1
excellent preservation. although shrubs an
climbing vines have here and there. roote
themselves in 1t. The rest Is broke
In places. There are two gates. one q
the west. the other at the north. The exterit
Is quite plain. except for about one-third 4 of III
outer face. where there Is such an ornament
'Ss been already described, that Is to say, tw
unurses of stones are set slantingly AT an acu'
angle TO the ordinary fiat courses above al
below. These two courses are the fifth ar
seventh from the top. In the space inclosed
the wall. which is about three-quarters of
acre. are some small Enclosures of trimm,
stone, apparently chambers. There is also
singular wall running parallel to the great
closing wall for some twenty yards, leaving /
tween 1t and the inside face OF that great WI
q very narrow passage which. at one poir
must have been closed by a door, for, at tn
point, steps lead up at either side. and hole
spaces. fit for receiving n door. remain. At o
end this passage opens into = space where I
most Curious Of all the ~erections are
be found. namely. two solid towers OF trimm
stone. Ono of these is quito low. rising OF
some five feet from the ground. Tho other
more than forty feet high. overlapping I
great inclosing wall from which 1t is Gig
feet distanD by about Ave feet. and has
bluntiy cOnical top. 1t reminds the {
thor Of this volume n little Of an Ir
round tower, though not SO high, save that
Irish overs are hollow and this solid, or o
Buddhist tope, save that the TOPICS, which
solid, are very much thicker. There is moth
whatever to indicate the purpose of this TOW