And finally, that there are among the architectural ornaments, I didn’t mention, numerous _nâga_-heads with opened mules and upward curled trunks which _formerly_ carried off the rain-water (from under all these walls) to outside from terrace to terrace. _Nowadays_ this water permeates through the time-worn stones into the rather loose soil of the hill till _under_ the ruin. Dropping through all lower joints, and between the stones falling asunder more and more upon which the heavy stûpa has been built, it _can’t be otherwise_ or all this is to destroy the ruin more and more, and sooner or later there will come a time when the temple itself shall partly or wholly fall to the ground, ... when the Dutch Government don’t know to prevent this by _doing all that will be indisputably necessary_. And as it is a truth not to be denied that _solar heat_ and _rain-water_ are the two prevailing factors to cause the destruction of these and other ruins the only way to prevent all this _must_ be therefore found by _shutting out_ solar-heat and rain, that is, by means of a protecting _cover_ such as drawn up and offered to the Dutch Government by Mr. van de Kamer. Any other manner of “restoration” will turn out to be a failure even when one may succeed in joining together all loose stones, and in cementing all the gaps. For the stone itself (_andesit_-lava) is so very porous that is used anywhere in Java for filtering-stones. However, it doesn’t alter the fact that there will be no much chance that the Dutch Government will do what I also recommended her as the only thing needful.[68] The late Dr. _Brandes_, the first official president of the “_Oudheidkundige Kommissie voor Java en Madoera_” had proposed a far less sovereign but cheaper effort to the rectification of this sorrowful state of things, and even the authorities in Netherland concurred with this idea of his, though they would be inclined to think quite otherwise if they could _unprejudicedly_ examine this question _in loco_. And the newly appointed president, the competent scholar and great authority on Indian matters, shall _he_ think otherwise?[69]. Or will the rain-water continually permeate through and under the invaluable ruin, and carry away its bottom, and assure at last the ruin of the richest and most beautiful Hindu-work of art we possess, which, in all India and even in the mainland, speaks of the Buddha?... Should we then, as a civilised colonising power, not be worthy of such a treasure? Oh, could I only persuade the Indian and Dutch authorities into _willing_ and _acting_ in quite another and better sense!