Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-03-14
soLoMoH's oPHIR.
The Bible Land Of Gold Re-dlscoyed In
Southern Africa.

From the Springfield Republican,
Among the wonderful discoveries
that turn all eyes toward Africa. II is
Thought with considerable confidence
That the Ophir of the Bible has been
identified In the gold region which ex-
tends between the Zambezi and Linn
mono rivers, In Southeastern Africa.
This region has been peculiarly mac
cesslble, being held BY the Metaoela
nation, a fierce and warlike people;
who originated In the Zulu land, aud
.wsening north, conque red 1t, and
have prohibited. on penalty Of death.
ali foreigners examining Its auriferous
CAPABILITIES. But since the death OF
their King, UmzIhkazi, about three
years ago. their jealous strlctness pas
been a little relaxed, and the elephant
hunters, particularly Hartley, nave
partially explored the region and
brought back wonderful accounts.
Carl Mauch, the German geologist and
explorer, some time ago made q hylng
trio into the same country, and sent
accounts of certain remarkable ruins
and ancient mine-shafts to Petermann;
the geographer, who gave his published
sanction to tho Identification OF this
region with the ancient Ophir. Sir
| Robert Murchlson inclines to tue same
| opinion. ,u.
guess navigators mention extensive
| ruins to the southwark OF tho Lamoezi,
which they supposed to have marked
the palaces OF the Queen of Sheba.
Rev. Josiah Tyler, the missionary,
whose station Is but a few miles south
| Of this gold country, c~orro6orates tle
probabilities OF Interesting discoveries.
archaeological among the rest, which
promise to make this, as well as other
parts Of Africa, famous In the near H.
ture. He regrets, however, the very
hasty observations of Carl Mauch,
leaving It In doubt whether the ruins
alluded to may not belong to the early
Portuguese a%dventurers.
We know that King Solomon had
the rendezvous Of his foreign navy, the
ships of Tarsblsh, In the Red Sea, and
that his Ph1niclan ally. Hiram oil
Tyre, "sent In his navy his servants,
shipmen that had knowledge OF the
sea, with the servants Of Solomon
aud that they brought back from
Ophir, not only gold in abundance,
but great plenty Of almug trees and
precious stones, also silver, ivory,
apes, and ~peacocks." Much the same
sort Of traffic comes down from thai
region now, especially II the ancient
almug tree may be the ebony, the pre-
cious stones, diamonds, and the pea
cocks may be extended to include os
trich feathers and parrots.
The speediest connection between
the United States and Port Natal Oh
that coast at the present time Is Wis
Suez Canal and Alden to the Red Sea
According TO Herodotus, Pharaoh Ne
cho, king of Egypt, about goo year,
after Solomon, having built the origi
nal of the present Suez Canal, circum'
navicated Africa. and probably long
before this the PhGniclans, most re
nowned mariners of the olden times
had knowledge Of this African coast
It corresponds. too, with the long voy
age to Ophir and back that 1t shouic
be in q land distant as this, for "onc'
In three years came tho navy OF lars
hish." according to the books OF TN
kings.
SO while Arabia and India and Spaii
and even Peru. have been rival claim
ants for Identification with the land o
Ophir, the probabilities multiply tina
it was this table.land between TIN
Zambezl and Limpopo rivers In Atri
ca. At any rate, II there Is gold there
now, 1t will soon be found, o~yeriaulet
and put into circulation, and with !
probably some equally valuable al
ditions to the worlds knowledge Of IL
self and It's history.