Evening journal., 1897-10-30
soRo eoEooR.
A Great Duddhist Ruin IN Java That
Rivals the Pyramids.

hilltop, and. after run through
long. arched avenue, we came out sud-
denly at the base Of the hill-temple.
Instead Of a mad, triumphant sweep
around the great pyramid, the ponies
balked, rooted themselves past any
lashing or "Gr-r-ree-ing," and we got
out and walked under the MONDAY sun,
around the hoary high altar Of Buddha,
down an avenue of tall kanari-trees,
lined with statues, gargoyles and other
such recha, or remains of ancient art,
to the passagran, or government rest
house.
The deep portico Of the passagTOn
commands an angle and two sides of the
square temple. and from the mass OF
blackened and bleached stones the eye
finally arranges and follows out the
broken lines of the terraced pyramid,
covered with such a wealth of ornament
as no other one structure in the world
presents. The first near view is almost
disappointing. In the blur of details
Il is difficult to realize the vast proper
tions Of this twelve-century-Ol struc-
ture-a pyramid the base platform Of
which is 500 feet square, the first ter
race walls are 300 feet square, and the
final dome rises to a height of 100 feet.
Stripped Of every kindly relief Of vine
ard moss, every gap and ruined angle
visible, there was something garish,
raw, and almost disordered at the first
glance, almost as jarring as newness,
and the hard black-and-white effect Of
the dark lichens OR the gray trachyte
made it look like a bad photograph of
the pile.
The temple stands on broad plat
form, and rises first I'M five square ter
races, inclosing galleries, or procession
a. paths, between their walls. which are
covered on each side with bas-relief
sculptures. If placed in single line
these bas-reliefs would extend for three
miles. The terrace walls hold 436
inches or alcove chapels, where life
size Buddhas sit serene upon lotus
cushions. Staireases ascend in straight
lines from each of the four sides. pass
ing under stepped or pointed arches
the keystones of which are deliberately
carved masks. and rows of sockets in
the jambs show where wood or metal
doors once swung.
Above the square terraces are three
| circular terraces. where 70 latticed
dagobas (reliquaries in the shape Of the
calyx or bud of thelotus) inclose each
a seated image, 70 more Buddhas sit
ting in these inner, upper circles of Mir
vana, facing a great dagoba, or fina
cupola, the exact function or purpose o.
which as key to the whole structure il
still the puzzle of archaeologists Thi
final shrine is so feet in diameter, anC
either covered a relic of Buddha, or
central well where the ashes Of priest
and princes were deposited, orisa form
surviving from the tree-temples Of TIN
earliest primitive east when nature
, worship prevailed. The English engin
eers made an opening in the solid ex
D terror, and found an unfinished statu
( of Buddha on a platform over a dee
e well-hole, and its head, half buried i
q debris, still smiles upon one from III
x deep cavern. A staircase has been cor
( structed to the summit of this dagobG
! ! and from it one looks down upon tn
! whole structure as on q ground-plai
, drawing. and out over finely cultivate
fields and thick paim-groves 10 th
e matchless peaks and the nearer hill
d that inclose this fertile valley OF tn
a Boro Boedor-"the very finest view
t ever saw" wrote Marianne North
= Three-fourths of the terrace chapel
e and the upper dagobas have crumbled
o hundreds of statues are headless, arm
less, overturned. missing; tees, O
finals, are gone from the bell-roofs
terrice walls bulge, lean outward. an
,. have fallen in long stretches; and tn
circular platforms and the professions
+ paths undulate as if. earthqualSe-wave
l. were at the moment rocking the mas
: No cement was used TO hold the fitte
d stones together and other Hindu pecu
/ iarities of construction are the entir
absence of a column, a pillar, ran arcl
Vegetation wrought great ruin durin
s its buried centuries. but earthquake
and tropical rains are working now
e slow but surer ruin that win leay
J. little of Boro Boedor for the neS
/ century's wonder-seekers. unless tn
: walls are soon atraig ghtened and stronf
Q ly braced.-Miss Z. r. scidmore.