The evening times., 1900-01-26
THE DISCOVERY OF oPHIR
DIR. Carl Peters Tells of Findin. the
Ancient Gold Mines.


DR. Carl Peters. on his arrival from
Africa gave some details regarding his dis
cOvery of Ophir. As a result of his inves-
LEGATIONS on the subject. the explorer was
convinced that he knew the location OF
Ophir. DR.. Peters al the time kept his in
formation secret. but claims now that his
original theory was correct and that he
has actually discovered Ophir. In con-
versatiOn with Reuters correspondent, Dr.
Peters said:
Il have this summer explored the cOun-
try between Zambesi and the PungWe in
Portuguese South Africa and Eastern
Mashonaland. Before I started from Eng
land ! had acquired geographical iuforma-
tion which led me TO believe that Fura was
near the eastern entrance of the I.Upata
Gorge. There l have found it. II is sit
uated on the banks OF the Muira River
about fifteen miles south Of the Zdmbesi
and half way between SeHa and Tete. At
the time OF my discovery I had with me
Mr. PuZey and two mining engineers.
Messrs Gramanu and Napolski
'Fura is The native corruption OF the
word Afur by which name the Arabs of
the sixteenth century knew the district OF
which ! am speaking. y fur Is the Sabaeau
or South Arabian form OF the Hebrew
name Ophir | have ample proof that tns
Fura We discovered and explored this
summer is the Ophir OF the Old Testament
Afur, or Ophir. in the language Of the peo-
pie who now inhabit the district also
means mine. The natives who are under
the powerful chief NacOmbe call them
selves Nakdlauga which means People o.
the sun. Unlike any other Africans !
know they are Ia this day sun and FIRE
worshipers They are quite unlike the
ordinary African. and have distinct Jewish
type of face and in my opinion they are
mixture of the AsiatiC cOnquerOTS with
the original Inhabitants of the country.
"On arriving in the district I found that
the natives had some idea of the existence
of the ancient Ophr. in fact they wash
gold themselves after the rainy season,
and after storing it in quilis do 4 fairly
large trade in it with Beira ana Tete. At
first l had great difficulties with these pC0-
pie For five weeks they refused 10 sell
me food and performed war dances 10
frghten me. NaCombe. the chief, then
sent his brother Cuntete to me demanding
what | meant by entering his country.
BY this time. however as | had succeeded
in getting food from other sources, Cuntete
seemed inclined to be friendly. I made
friends with him and | have brought him
to England.
Up to the present his greatest surprise
gave me valuable information
regarding the position of the ancient ruins
and workings, which | at once investi-
gated. Going to the spot indicated, /
found ancient ruins of undoubtedly Semitic
type | discovered pballic emblems which /
rave always been connected with the an !
.ient Semitic sun worship. Fura itse | !
found to possess a formation of qu1rtzIlc /
slate and diorite between which gold reefs I
we're running Under the ruins | found /
arge alluviaI tract, in which We discovered .
gold and near it magnificent quartz reefs. 4
Fhe ancient workings which | found we're I
,ot only surface workings, but there We ,
llsO shafts and roads hewn into the rock.
have built station in this district and
ilso one in Inyanga. both of which are in
harge of Trustworthy Europeans. | in /
end next summer to further investigate
he traces of diamonds, coal. white mica,
nd saltpetre which we found
My theory with regard to Ophir. said
)r. Peters. in conclusion, is this: The
ncient eonquerors heard at the mouth OF
he Zamhesi OF rich alluviaI geld up liver
nd sailed up 70 the eastern entrance OF
ne Lupata. beyond which rapids made nav
CATION difficult. They then prGcee Eel
yerIand and found under the very walls
t the fortifcatioIs truths Of which we
ave discoyered) alluviaI and also reef
old They then settled for considerable
erod. aGd afterward migrated to the we
lward the Ruenye. They eventually set
ed in the cool climate Of Invanga. con-
uered all the districts west and southwest
5 far as the Sanyate River and Tete. ard
',ilt a great empire along the Zsmbesi
nd Sa5i rivers. This ancient Sabaean
nrirc probably lasted for thousands Of