Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-19

purpose.
!, THE DISCOVERY OF 0PHIR.
DIR. Carl Peters, IN his arrival from
Africa yesterday, gave some details re-
garding his discovery of Ophir. AS a re-
suit of his Investigations on the subject,
the explorer was convinced that he knew
the location of Ophir. DR.. Peters at the
time kept his information secret, but
claims now that his original theory was
correct and that he has actually discov-
cred Ophir. In conversation with Reut-
er's correspondent, DR.. Peters said:
II have this urnmer explored the
try between the Zarnbesi and the Pung-
We, In Portuguese South Africa and
Eastern M~ashonaland. Before I started
from England l had acquired geographic
cal information which led me to believe
that Fura was e the eastern entrance
of the Lupata Gorge. There 1 have
found it. It is situated on the banks of
the Muira river, about Is miles south Of
the Zambesi, and half way between Sena
and Tete. At the time of my discovery
l had with me Mr.. Puzey and two mining
engineers. Messrs. Gramann and Napols-
XII. Fura is the native corruption Of the
word Afur, by which name the Arabs
of the sixteenth century knew the district
of which 1 am speaking. Afur is the
Sabaean or South Arabian form of the
Hebrew name Ophir. 1 have ample proof
that the Fura we discovered and ex-
plored Afur, or Ophir, in the Semitic
language means mine. Fura, in the Ian
guage of the people who now inhabit the
district, also means mine. The natives,
who are undo the powerful chief Ma
combe, call themselves M~akalanga, which
means People Of the Sun. Unlike any
other Africans I know, they are to this
day sun and fire worshippers. They are
quite unlike the ordinary African, and
have distinct Jewish type of face, and, in
my opinion. they are a mixture of the
Asiatic conquerors with The original in
habitants of the country.
ION arriving in the district I soon found
that the natives had some idea of the
existence of the ancient Ophir, in fact,
they wash gold themselves after the
ain season, and after storing it in
uuills do a fairly large trade in it with
Beira and Tete. At first I had great diff
ficulties with these people. For five
weeks they refused to sell me food, and
performed war dances to frighten me.
Macombe, the chief, then sent his broth
er, Cuntete to me, demanding what I
meant by entering his country. BY this
time, however, as I had succeeded in get
ting food from other sources, Cuntete
oCcilcu llCilIicO 10 De friendly. l MADE
friends with him, and l have brought
him to England. UP to the present his
greatest surprise is that he has not seen
the sun. This chief Subsequently gave me
valuable information regarding the po-
sition of the ancient ruins and workings,
which I at once investigated. Going to
the spot indicated, I found ancient ruins
of undoubtedly Semitic type. I discover
ed phallic emblems which have always
been connected with the ancient Semitic
sun worship. Fura itself I found to pos
sess a formation of quartZitic' slate and
diorite, between which gold reefs were
running. Under the ruins I founda large
alluvial tract, in which we discovered
gold, and near it magnificent quartz
reefs. The ancient workings which I
found We're not only surface workings,
but there were also shafts and roads
hewn into the rock. I have built a sta
ton in this district, and also one in In
yanga, both of which are in charge of
trustworthy Europeans. I intend next
summer to further investigate the traces
of diamonds, coal, white mica and salt
peter which we found.
my theory with regard to Ophir," said
DR.. Peters, in conclusion, lis this: The
ancient conquerors heard at the mouth
Of the Zambesi of rich alluvial gold up
river and sailed up to the eastern en-
trance of the Lupata, beyond which rap
AuS 1ilduc~ uIlIlcUll. lney Iuen
proceeded overland and ound under the
very walls of h Notifications (ruins
of which we have discovered) ~alluvial
and also reef gold. They then settled for
a considerable period, and afterward mi
grated to the west toward the Ruenye.
They eventually settled in the cool ell
a of Inyanga, conquered all the dis
tricts west n southwest as far as the
Sanvate river n Tete, and built a great
empire along h Zambesi Inc Sabi riv-
ers. This ancient Sabaean empire prob
ably lasted for thousands of years. It's ex-
istence was well known among the Sem
tito nations, and 1t 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 Arabian and Indian theories regard
ing Ophir fall to pieces. and I claim un-
hesitatingly to have located this year
the olden Ophir of King Solomon and
King Hiram
RACE OF DwARFs.
The island Of Luzon in the Philippines,
contains one of the recognized races of
dwarf men, the Aetas. whose average
height is only four feet eight inches or
four feet nine inches. They dwell among
the mountains in the interior of the
island, and are allied to the Andamanese.
inhabiting islands in the bay of Bengal.
1t is remarked by a recent writer that
all of the dwarf races survive only in
the most inaccessible parts of the con-
ttnents or islands to which they belong.