New-York tribune., 1900-09-09
AFTER SOLOMON'S MINES.
DIR. PETERSs EXPEDITION TO OPHIR
AND THE LACK OF RESULTS

II begins with the scene OF Dr. Carl Peters
the German explorer, rummagtng about In
old German castle a few years back
In this ancient TeutOnic schlOss DR. Peters
came upon musty volume. together with
quaint old map, published In France in 1119
thereabOuts.
This work and map. according to one OF Dr.
Carl Peters's associates. dealt with the doiugs
of the Portuguese two hundred years earlier
in the country bordering on the ZaTn besi. and
are to form the key to the whereabouts OF gold
mines IN the heart OF Africa The course OF the
Zambesi was shown the map roughly. bat
accurately, and on the south bank OF the river
appeared Mount Fura- Now, concerning Mount
Fura, thirst for science and a thirst for gold
had already bred in the good doctor certain
suspicious.
fashion to get all the works he could find on
the subject He is credited with possessing a
wonderful memory and OF being capable OF
reCOIlecting minute details for years afterward
Some of the old writings thus hunted up went
back to the seveteenth century, and for two
years was the tran followed up, says an admir-
ing chrOncler, through the dim and dust stre7v-
realms Of centuries old bookIand-
The recent works were studied too, and a.
the end Of two years, in July, 1895, the GerIna1
traveller promoted in London a COMPANY
DR. Carl Peters Estates and EzxDIoration Com
pany, Limited-for the purpose of purchasing
properties and rights which had been acquired
by him in Southeastern and Central Africa, and
for the conduct by Dr. Peters OF a Vel
equipped and carefully selected expedition 20
the district where he hoped to discover Mount
Fura, and to test his surrnises about that mys-
The venders took 5000 Il shares in part pay
ment and the expenses OF this expedition and
sufficient working capital would be provided
said the prospectus, by the issue OF = 900
shares
Well the expedition, with Dr. Peters Al f-s
head, and the cIews afforded BY the old writings
and the old map in constant use duly discovered
the mountain of Fura by the middle OF 1859,
and DR. Peters was convinced his cherished
hopes were well founded These hopes we're
nothing more or less than that Fura was Crphir
the Biblical land Of gold. the source of Solo
mons fabulous riches
Fura, the good doctor contended. was The
native corruption OF the word Afur by winch
name the Arabs of the sixteenth century RnezE
the district Afur was the Sab4an. OF Soash
Arabian, form OF the Hebrew name Opbfr -
Dr. Peters afterward assured a rapresa7tsf7v4
of Reuters Agency for the information OF ne
world az large, he had ample proof that the
Fura which his expedition had discovered and
of the Old TestameRt-the Ophir whose meal
culable wealth is referred to in the first BOOK
of Kings in both Books of Chronicles in Joh
in the Psalms, and in Isaiah
chief, the doctor said gave him valuable
information regarding the position OF ancient
ruins and workings. which he at once inves-
tigated. Going TO the spot indicated he fo-7d
ancient ruins OF undOubted Semitic tvue F1i-a
itself he found 10 possess a formation or quart
itiC slate and diOrite, between which gold refs
were running The ancient workings which ne
found were not only surface workings, but there
were also he declared. shafts and roads he~n
into the rock
How the shareholders must have palpitated
when they read, in report Dr. Peters pre-
Sented 10 the directors, that when the POrtu-
gueSe arrived in East Africa about the year
1900 the Arabs called N district Afur and told
the Portuguese = was the ODhir of The OAd
Testament For a glance at / Chronicles
chapter xxx, verse f. wouI5 shoW them tnzt
David gave to Overlay the walls Of the Temple
5000 talents of the gold of Ophir and upon the
authority of F. w Madden NJ p A 5 aurh r
of History Of Jewish Coinage" etc they would
know that a talent Of gO'6 worth - Ctt-
Here. then was f1SCGUtSG worth Ct eutd p n
Ophlr- and the iESXh2CStibie nature Of the sup
ply would be apparent when they pursued rn=-r
Biblical researches to find. IN Z Kings chapter
IN, verse -. that there was brought from CVh-r
TO solomon 40 talents of gold. equal 70 a mod
ern value of t2.52u.UOO. ana that again. in III
Chronicles. chapter viii. verse =. mention Is
made Of another dip by Solomon into the o-li-
mines to the extent of 4s0 talents OF go.c or
e.. 100000.
But by now cold shivers of doubt may t-ye
succeeded 10 the first thrills, for EeEr
has passed since the wonderful discovery WAS
made. and two years since the company WAS
formed. and no millions of pounds nor hundreds
tens, nor even units have vet come the way of
the eXpeCtant shareholders.
But instead come unexpected whispers that
are not works thousands Of years old. but just
mere ordinary collection OF sand and r-ck
hills.
Is it veritably the Land of Ophir. and II So
have David and solomon left much gold tlr
the shareholders in Dr. Peters's Estates AID
Exploration Company?
THE Ill F4TFD BIRDS OF HGRrFN