The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-08-22
DISCOVERY OF EOAH's ARK.
A GREEK PRIEST CLAIMS THAT IT IS
STILL ON MOUNT ARAFAT.
Ehe Famous Relic OF ths Flood 70, He
says. Preserved In Banks OF snow
Found while Searching for the
Source OF Famous Rivers.

EDoUN WnlAe beAbSu"B
Source OF Famous Rivers.
The Rev. John Joseph Nouri, ID. D.,
LID. the ChaIdean Archdeacon OF Baby
lon and Jerusalem, who arrived at San
Francisco recently on the steamer China,
saws he has seen Noahs ark. As he re-
counted, he has travelled, preaching and
exploring in various lands, $50, 900 miles,
SAYS the San Francisco Examiner. He set
out from his home in Jerusalem seven
years ego, and 1t will be five years yet
before he gets back. In the five years be
will travel 10000 miles more, making
total in the twelve years OF 400 900 miles,
or distance OF more than fifteen times
around the earth.
One OF the things he told about was his
explorations in the Mountains OF the
Moon, in the east OF Central Africa, while
trying to find the source OF the Nile, In
which he found gold so plentiful that the
mountains were fairly ribbed with it and
bonlders along the way sparkled with the
yellow metal. The otherswas the discov-
cry OF the sources OF the Tigris and En-
pirates in Mount Ararat in Armenia, and
a tremendous vessel on top Of one horn of
Mount Ararat, which he regards as the
veritable ark of Noah.
"About 200 miles over the desert from
Timbuctoo we began to get into the gold
bearing mountains. The richness OF the
mountains increased as weadvanced until
the rocks were sean.1d with gold.
"These are the rich gold mines OF the
world. No mines hitherto found can
compare with them. They are destined
to attract the attention of all nations OF
the globe. The country was richer and
richer as we proceeded. Boulders lay in
our path that were not boulders, in that
but little OF them was rock, but gold.
may say that the mines OF that country,
or rather the ore bodies, for they are not
mined TO speak of, are as much as eighty
per cent. pure gold. picked up some OF
the gold, intending TO take 1t with me,
but got too much.
From here / still extended my re-
searches, preaching all the time when
could AZ ! went. had In view the search
ing OF the sources OF the two great rivers
OF the Bibie--the Tigris and Euphrates OF
Mesopotamia. Gaining facts, as ] am,
for q great ecclesiastical history OF the
Eastern Church throughout the world,
and constantly visiting ancient museums,
universities and everywhere where manu-
scripts and tablets could be found,
thought it was important to search
myself for thesource OF those great rivers.
i found them after great difficulty, and
in doing this climbed almost to the top
OF the two horns Of Mount Ararat In
Armenia. Up toward the domes Of Mount
Ararat Is . dat valley, large In area,
which may be designated as plain. II L.
nearly 1900 feet above the sea. About
100 feet above the plain found the
sources OF those two great rivers. They
are very close together. The water was
extremely cold and clear.
"Then we proceeded to ascend to the
top OF Mount Ararat. We first chose the
smaller horn. This is about 5000 feet
high, while the other Ii, as nearly az 1t ID
now ascertained, about 5000 feet in alti-
tude. We succeeded In getting up about
1900 feet. There was perpetual snow
there, and it lay very deep. A. violent
wind was blowing, and the mountain
was so precipitious that we could not go
farther. Accordingly, we retraced our
steps, and when we got down to a point
from which we could cross over to the
other mountain, we went over to it and
began climbing. We reached the altitude
of 1900 or 5000 feet. The snow here
also was very deep. We walked on till it
walked for hours and hours on the snow,
and finally came down 1900 or 5 900 feet.
g 1t was in the month OF March that
we made up our minds that it would be
impossible to reach the top in such
weather. We must wait till the snow, or
great deal of it at least, melted. We ac-
cordingiy went still farther below aud
remained till April. Then we were
nj n fttyY for al lab In.
discovered. what feel sure was the ark,
the actual work of Noah. l discovered it
myself, being the first to see it. / saw it
through field glass at first, though we
got SO close to it that it was visible to the
eye alone. We had reached blight over
the green grass, and at length in the
deep snow and over glaciers of probably
5000 or 1880 feet and within 1860 or
1000 feet of the top. Presently great
object came into view through the glass.
"The bow and stern were clearly in
view, but the centre OF it was buried in
snow and one side of it had fallen down
and was decayed. 1t stood more than 10G
feet high;&nd was more than 800 yards
long. The wood seemed very peculiar. 1t
was dark reddish, almost IRON coIoted
and seemed very thick. / saw it per-
fectly, especially the rear part. 1t is be-
tween 5,0e0 and 5000 years old. Would
the wood last for that time? oh, yes. II
would not were it not for the snow, but
that has preserved it. Were it not foi
that, constructed even OF hard wood as il
is, 1t would have been impossible to last
over 1900 or 5000 years. As it is, it viii
be preserved for ages and ages;. perhap.
10000 or 5000 years.
"The top of the ark that still remained
was covered with a cap Of from five t
ten feet of snow but in other places
where the top has fallen in, | judge thu
snow is from thirty to fifty feet deep.
went clear around and came back again
and looked at the rear or stern critically
at length and with great Gaze. Not
cloud nor a rift, or even fieecy snow, OBJ
structed the view. 1t was all as clear ant
plain as the clearest sunlight could max
it. Some of the rooms or turrets of tn
ark We're broken half way by the snow ant
protruded over. Ipaused for quite time
contemplating with gratitude and awe tn
discovery. / made the complete circuit O