NO. 2 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I924 



109 



ledge in front which held in place the fill of loose rock and refuse 

 upon which the House of the Tower stands. Eventually all but the 

 eastern end of this wall collapsed — probably because of the insecure 

 foundation afforded by the abruptly sloping rock, and much of the 

 material behind it poured down over the cliff. As time went on, the 

 not infrequent winds which sweep past the cave with unbelievable 



Fig. 119. — Tower from the west. New retaining wall 

 at lower right-hand. 



force whipped out the dust and smaller particles of rock until the 

 southwest corner of the Tower was undermined more than three feet 

 and the wall thence eastward almost to the opposite corner to a 

 lesser degree. 



As the Tower stood in the fall of 1924, the east wall was firm and 

 secure, being bedded on the ledge to within i^ feet of its outer end. 



