170 MR. J. MARTIN ON THE TERRACES OE R0TOMAHANA. 



The outwork of No. 2 basin formed a massive wall ten feet in 

 height, with similar decorations, and presented a conspicuous 

 appearance when the terrace was viewed from the lower levels. The 

 wondrous horizontal lines of " cups " were situated immediately 

 below, on the west and east points of the Upper Platform, meeting 

 the circular walls of the basins ; joining at their base, these continued 

 the regular parallels right across the front of the Terrace. 



The tiers or rows of " cups " might be classed in four sections, 

 each with its own specialized structure and form : — 



1. East lines, slope 1 in 8. 



2. West lines, slope 1 in 5. 



3. Steep basins (central), slope 1 in 3. 



4. Lower series, slope 1 in 10. 



(1) Upon the upper eastern portion their crisp and sparkling 

 lips projected like open bivalve shells, overhanging half the cup 

 beneath ; seen from below they formed long lines of varying height 

 but perfect in their horizontality • and in section they would appear 

 as a series of crescents, set with points projecting upwards. 



(2) On the other portions of the upper slope the projecting rims 

 were reduced and rounded, and formed perpendicular walls with 

 protuberant lips. 



(3) Under the walls of basins Nos. 2 & 3 these receptacles were 

 steeper and bolder, and formed a series of Decorated Basins, which 

 being a little distance from the beaten track were rarely seen by 

 visitors. Their elevations were curiously embossed and adorned 

 with rosette-like appendages, which, when the Terrace was partially 

 dry, stood out white in bold relief upon a grey ground, and presented* 

 to the spectator a more perfect ideal of rich ornamentation than 

 could be seen elsewhere on any part of this wonderful structure. 



(4) The lower series of enclosures opened out into wide shallow 

 areas, bounded bj-low narrow sinuous ridges, almost unnoticed when 

 dry, but strongly defining the differences of elevation when covered 

 by the overflow. When seen full and overflowing from above, these 

 receptacles appeared as segments of azure, outlined with arcs of 

 creamy white, infinite in variety of size, from a semicircle a few 

 inches in diameter, to long and wavy outlines of from 50 or 60 feet, 

 enclosing pools from one to six feet in width, with a few larger 

 areas showing a deeper blue outlined in firmer lines. 



In this series of " cups " the silica was deposited by rapid evapo- 

 ration in a granular form, and when dry had the dazzling bril- 

 liancy of frost-work ; yet so firm and adherent were the particles 

 that they were with difficulty crushed or scraped away, the outer 

 rim or edge being more compact than the interior. 



The upper and lower portions of the Terrace were distinctly 

 separated by the great wall, popularly known as the Giant Buttress, 

 which extended its level summit in a wavy outline for more than 80 

 feet, supporting the shallow pools of the Upper Terrace. Its front 

 was draped with overlapping wool-like fringes and stalactitic pen- 



