The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-29
THE zIMBABwE RUINS.

HItIilpIiIS ECIAtIiito-'
 THE ZIMBABWE RUINS. i
 From a report by MT. R. N. Hall, | which is included in the documents just | issued by the Chartered company, it is possible to gather a clear impression of | the present condition of the Zimbabwe l ruins and of tine measures taken by the company to preserve these remarkable evidences that central Africa was eX- plotted for gold by one of the races of antiquity. "On inspecting the ruins, MT. Hall found the interior of Elliptical
 Temple, one impenetrable jungle of
 trees, bushes, creepers, tall grass (siX
 feet to ten feet) and decayed tree stumps and branches, so that it was impossible to see beyond few feet while the surface of the ground was
 most irregular and thickly covered with
 wall bebris. The air inside was fetid and heavy-smelling from the rank veg
 citation. There being no opening on
 the eastern side, the interior is protec- i ted from the prevailing winds, and the
 sun, shining on the damp, dense and
 almost tropical foliage and plant
 growth. made the air oppressive ana
 unhealthy, so that one could not re- main long at time in the building l Our first work was to clear away the 1 undergrowth, but it was so dense and
 matted with creepers that, with fifteen
 men working for whole day with
 hatchets. sickles and spades, we were
 only able to make a few feet advance
 into the interior from the west entrance.
 It required nine days for fifteen men to clear the interior of undergrowth only. A further three days have been given
 to pulling up gass and shrub roots.
 The atmosphere of the interior is com pleteIy changed, as the sun has dried
 the surface of the ground. It is now
 possible to stand in the center of the
 building and obtain an uninterrupted
 view of the walls all round, and at the
 same time to see at a glance the whole | of the divisional walls and enclosures.
 The north side of the summit of the
 conical tower has in very recent years
 been denuded of several courses or
 blocks owing to the boughs of large
 trees swinging upon it in the high
 winds. The tower is more reduced than
 is shown in photographs taken six
 years ago. The dentelle ornamentation
 on the summit was practically disap-
 peared within the last ten years. Some
 ancient blocks in the top. courses are
 likely 10 fall. These blocks could be
 pushed back flush with the face of the , tower. and some of the blocks which
 have very recently fallen might be re- stored to their original position. The summit. when cleaned of vegetation, , should be cemented over. It is fea- , ture in Zimbabwe construction every 7 where in Rhodesia for block. when it falls. to carry with it the stones of the , course beneath 1t. Visitors point out } that the tower has lately shown a ten , dency to tilt somewhat towards the , northeast. This is mainly due to the , dense tree growth enveloping the tow , or. which keeps it constantly dripping , with moisture, especially on the north ) side, where the main wall further t screens it from the morning sun. The 2 only remedy appears to be to so thir } out the trees that the tower and Its
 foundations may become perfectly dry , The wet state of the tower has caused a it to become overgrown with lichen r which, decaying, produces vegetable V matter which lodges in the crevices O f the courses, and out of which smal f plants and shrubs grow, many of Whici e we have removed. A large bush wal = growing out from the side in mould s' Il formed. and the remains of larg n bush on the summit are still to be seen S Should the tilting not be prevented b. n such means as the thinning out of ad n iacent trees, the value of the tower t d scientists as a means of calculating tn d orientation of the temple, and therefor k it's age, dould become lost. Three :. four trees from close to the northeast a north and northwest sides of the towe s have been cleared away, and the vicin s ity has already a much drier appear
 ance."
 a The dank air and soil round the tow if CT have caused the extensive growth j. large monkey ropes, the roots of whlc if have pierced the walls and torn ot h lengths of the stonework. The rope % have been cut down and uprooted, n as to give clear view round the ten g pie. The floors of the passages hay >, been cleared of soil, scattered stone le and wall debris piled in places frol a which they fell, the boughs of trees cl m away, and clearing eight yards wit in made round the outside of the whole eft the temple, so that an inspection of u a walls by visitors is now possible. TT to report contains list of various disco ,d cries of articles and new features in u f. architecture.-London Standard. is