Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-22
KING SOLOMON'S MINES.
How Doctor Carl Peters Discovered
the Land of Ophir.

How Doctor Carl Peters Discovered
the Land of Ophir.
From the London Chronicle.
A representative who met DR.. Carl Peters
on his arrival from Africa had a CONVERSE
ton with him respecting his discovery OF
Ophir.
Dr. Peters said:
L have this summer explored the country
between the Zambesi and the Pungwe in
Portuguese East Africa and Eastern Ma
shonaland. Before I started from England
l had acquired geographical information
which led me to believe that Fura was near
the eastern entrance CT the Lupata Gorge.
There have found 1t. 1t Is situated on the
banks of the Muira river, about fifteen
miles south of the Zambesi, and half way
between Sena and Tete. AT the time of my
discovery had with me Mr.. PuZey and two
mining engineers, Messrs. Gramann and Ma
polski
l should perhaps here explain that Fura
Is the native corruption of the word Afur.
by which name the Arabs of the sixteenth
century knew the district of which i am
Speaking Afur Is the Sabaean, or South
Arabian, form of the Hebrew word Ophir.
L have ample proof that the Fura we dis
covered and explored this summer is the
Ophir of the Old Testament. Afur or Ophr
in the Semitic language means mine.
Fura, in the language of the people who
now inhabit the district, also means mine"
The natives. who are under the powerful
|. Chief Macombe. call themselves Makalan-
ga, which means people of the sun. Unlike
any other Africans l know, they are to this
day sun and fire worshipers. They are
quite unlike the ordinary African, and have
a distinct Jewish type of face; and in my
opinion they are a mixture of the Asiatic
conquerorS with the original Inhabitants Of
the country.
On arriving in the district I soon found
that the natives had some idea of the eX-
istence of the ancient Ophir. In fact, they
wash gold themselves after the rainy sea-
sen, and, after storing it in quilts do a
fairly large trade in it with Beira and Teti,
l found there ancient ruins of undoubtedly
Semitic type Fura itself [ found to pos
sess formation CT quartZitic slate and di-
orite, between which gold reefs We're rum
ming. Under the ruins | found large allu-
vial tract in which We discovered gold, and
near it magnificent quartz reefs. The an
Gle mt workings which l found were not only
surface workings, but there were also
shafts and roads hewn into the rock l
have built a station in this. district, and
also one in Inyanga, both of which are in
charge of trustworthy Europeans.
/ intend next summer to further invesi-
gate the traces of diamonds, coal, white
mica and Saltpetre which we found.
My theory with gard to Ophir tsaid the
doctor in conclusion) is this: The ancient
c0nquerors heard at the mouth of the Fam
best of rich alluvial gold up river, and
sailed up to the eastern entrance of the
Lupata. beyond which rapids made navi-
cation difficult. They then proceeded over
Notifications (ruins of which we have dis
coVered) alluval and also reef gold. They
then settled for a considerable period, and
afterward emigrated to the west toward
Ruenye. They eventually settled in the cool
climate of Inyanga, conquered all the dis
tricts west and southwest as far as the
Sanyate river and Tati, and built a great
en- pire along the Zambesi and Sabi rivers
This ancient Sabaean empire probably
lasted for thousands of years Its existence
was well known among the Semitic nations,
and it is interesting to note that Ophir is
always mentioned in the Old Testament
without any explanation as to its locality.
I have seen enough TO be assured that all
the products of the ancient Ophir are TO be
found on the Zambesi
AS a result Of my investigation the Arab
ian and Indian theories regarding 0phir fall
to pieces. and claim. unhesftating1y to
have located this year the Golden ophfr of
King Solomon and King Hiram
IN an account Of his expedition which he
gave before he left Cape rcen 20 a ecr,es-
pendent OF the South African News. DIR
Peters said:
These mines are In Macombe's country.