The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-08-06
THE ZIMBABWE RUINS.
A Temple of Antiquity Discovered in
Central Africa.

11oAIl q 1SPolb ny I'LL. IL. ~ lIdll,
which is included in the documents
just issued by the Chartered COM
pany, says the London Standard, it is
possible to gather a clear impression
of the present condition of the Zim-
babwe ruins and Of the measures TAX
en- by tide company to preserve these
remarkable evidences hat Central
Africa was exploited for gold by one
of the races of antiquity. "On in
specting the ruins, Mr.. Hall found
the interior of Elliptical temple n
impenetrable jungle of trees, bushes,
creepers, tall grass (six feet to ten
feet), and decayed tree stumps and
branches, so hat it was impossible to
see beyond a few feet, while the sur
face of the ground wasmost irregular
and thickly covered with wall debris.
The air inside was fctid and heavy
smelling from the rank vegetation.
There being no opening on the east
ern side, the interior is protected
from the prevailing winds, and the
sun, shining on the damp, dense
and almost tropical foliage and plant
growth, made the air oppressive and
unhealthy, so that one could not re-
main long at a time in the building.
Our first work was to clear away the
underground, but it was so dense and
matted with creepers that, with Is
men working for a whole day with
hatchets, sicklcs and spades, we were
only able to make a few feet advance
into the interior from the west end.
1t required nine days for the Is men
to clear the interior of underground
only. Afurther threedays have been
given to pulling up grass and shrub
roots. The atmosphere of the in
terror is completely changed, as the
sun has dried the surface of the
ground. It is now possible to- stand
in the center of the building and OBJ
tain 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 of
blocks owing to the boughs of large
trees swim cling upon it in the high
winds. Tlae dcntelle ornamcntation
on the summit has practically disap-
peared wit hin the last ten years.
Some anci emit blocks in the top
courses arc likely to fall. These
blocks could be pushed back flush
with the face of the tower, and some
Of the blocks which have very re-
GENTLY fallen might be restored to
their original position. The sum-
init, when cleaned Of vegetation
should be cemented over. 1t is a fea-
ture nZmbabwe. construction every
where in Rhodesiajfora block, whenit
falls, to carry. with it the stones Of
the course beneathit. Visitors point
out that the tower has lately shown
a tendency to tilt somewhat towards
the northeast. This is mainly due to
the immense tree growth enveloping
the tower, which keeps it constantly
dripping with moisture, especially on
the north side, where the main wall
further screens it from the morning
sun. The only remedy appears to
be to so thin cut the trees that the
tower and its foundations may be-
come perfectly dry. The wet state
of the tower has caused it to become
overgrown with lichen, which, de-
caying, produces vegetable matter
which lodges in the crevices of the
courses and outof which small plants
and shrubs grow, many Of which we
have removed. A large bush was
growing out from the side in mould
so formed, and the remains Of a large
bush on the summit are still to be
seen. Should the fitting not be pre-
vented by such means as. the thin
ming out of the adjacent trees, the
value of the tower to scientists as a
means of calculating the orientation
of the temple, and therefore its age,
would become lost. Three or four
trees from close to the northeast,
north and northwest sides of the
tower have been cleared away. and
the vicinity has already a much drier
appearance"
The dank air and soil around the
tower have caused the extensive
growth of large monkey ropes, the
roots of which have pierced the
walls and torn out lengths of the
stoncwork. The ropes have been cut
down and %uprooted, SO as to give a
clear view round the temple. The
floors of the passages have been