Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-24
SOUTH AFRICA.
The Ophir of soIOmon's Time.

VI DOAOAhOA AAhACs
A recent traveller, Charles Mauch, Ger
man explorer in South Africa, furnishes
some fragmentary information which re-
wives the enquiryIas to the ''land of Ophir,"
from which Solomon drew so large
ly in building the Temple at Jeru-
salem. He furnishes evidence of the
existence, at one time, of a higher
civilization in that country, the remains of
which are to be found in the mag
nifcent ruins scattered in different loCali-
ties. The discovery Of the diamond fields,
and the fact that gold is known to exist in
large quantities, leads to the belief that at
last the Ophir has been found. MauCh, in
a recent letter, dated Zimbaya, Sept. 80,
1871, to DR.. Peterman of Gotha, sent by
some returning missionaries gives, some in
teresting facts, the substance of which is
given to the public by DR.. 2. as follows:
Zimbaya is one of these places of prime
val ruins. According to Mauch's astronom-
ical observations, it lies in latitude 1914
south, and longitude 3l.48 east of Green
witch, directly west Of SOfala harbOr, and
only 1874 miles distant from il by air line
This agrees fully with the statement of the
Portuguese writer, Don Santos, that the Por-
tugese have discovered, 200 nautical miles
west of Sofala, in the gold country (trGctO
do GlTO) extensive monuments. Mauch
also found, in the vicinity of Zimbaya, al
luvial gold, which he expects to wash AID
gather.
The discovery consists of ruins, walls,
some of which are thirty feet high, fifteen
feet thick, and $50 feet in circumference, a
tower, etc. The fact of all of them, with
out exception, being of hewn granite, put
together without mortar, testifies to high
antiquity; and the drawings of the Orna-
ments sent in by Mauch, prove that they
do not originate from the Portuguese nor
from the Arabs, but very likely from Phn-
nicians, the Solomonic Ophir cruisers.
The present population has been there
but for about forty years. The ruins are
sacred to them, and they all believe that
whites have once lived in this region. Such
would appear to be true from the ruins of
houses and the iron vessels found there,
which can not have been the works Of the
blacks.
Mauch has been able so far to visit and
examine but one of these places. There
are, at a distance of three days journey
northwest of Zimbaya, other ruins, among
which is according to the natives) an ODE
lisk. Mauch expects to be able to explore
the entire region thoroughly. He describes
it as very beautiful, 1000 feet above the
level of the sea, well .watered, fertile, and
thicklv inhabited by an industrious and
peaceable tribe of the Makalaka, cultivating
rice and corn, and possessing herds of
cattle, sheep and goats.
1t is to be hoped that Mauch, in his fur
ther researches, may discover more data Of
the character and the origin of these re-
markable primeval ruins. Whether or not
they may finally prove to be biblical Ophir,
it is at least sure that what has been found
thus far establishes the probability of their
connection with the SolOmOnic Ophir Cruis-
ers. Voyages from his part in the Red
Sea along the coast of Eastern Africa were
within the means Of the navigation Of that
age, and the time of three years said to be
used for the voyage both ways would also
correspond. 1t is indisputable that the
Phpnicans made southern cruises, and that
Africa has, as far back as history goes, the
reputation Of being auriferous.