New-York tribune., 1900-01-14
THE DISCOVERY OF OPHIR,
DR. CARL PETERS TELLS OF FINDING
THE ANCIENT GOLD MINES.
From The London STANDARD.

From The London Standard
Dr. Carl Peters on his arrival from Africa
yesterday, gave some details regarding his dis
covery of Ophir. As a result of his investiga-
lions 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
ana Ih2t ne mas actually discovered Ophir. In
conversation with Reuters correspondent DR..
Peters said:
Il have this summer explored the country he
tween the Zambesi and the Puugwe in Portu-
gUese South Africa and Eastern MashonaIand
Before I started from England I had acquired
geographical information which led me to be-
ne re thit ura was near the eastern entrance
of the Lupata Gorge. There I have found It
1t IS situated on the banks of the Muira River,
ABOUT HIteen miles south of the Zambesi, and
halfway between Sena and Tete. At the time Of
my discovery l had with me Mr. Puzeys and two
mining engineers, MessrS. Gramann and Napols-
kI. Fura is the native cOrruption of the word
Atur, by which name the Arabs of the sixteenth
century knew the district of which I am sneak
ing. Afur is the SabRan or South Arabian
form of the Hebrew name Ophir I have ample
PROOF that the Fura we discovered and explored
TINS summer is the Ophir Of the Old Testament
Atur or OphIr, IN the Semitic language means
mine. Fura, in the language of the people who
now inhabit the district also means mine. The
AdLlFes VINO are under the powerful chief Ma
CCmbe, call themselves MakaIanga, which means
People of the Sun. Unlike any other Africans
know they are 70 this day sun and fire wor-
Shippers, They are quite unlike the ordinary
African, and have distinct Jewish type Of face
and, IN my opinion. they a mixture Of the
of the country.
'On arriving in the district soon found that
the natives had some idea of the existence OF
the ancient Ophir IN fact, they wash gold them
selves after the rainy season. and after storing
II IN qullls do a fairly large trade in il with
Belra and Tete. At first l had great dificuIties
with these people. For five weeks thev refused
70 sell me food, and performed war dances TO
IrlSnten me- Macombe, the chief then sent his
brother Cuntete 10 me, demanding what I meant
by entering his country. BY this time however
as mad succeeded in getting food from other
sources, Cuntete seemed inclined to be friendly.
l made friends with him. and have brought
him to England Up to the present his greatest
surprise IS that he has not seen the sun. This
chlet subsequently gave me valuable infOrma-
ton regarding the position 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 discovered
phalliC emblems which have always been con-
nected with the ancient Semitic worship
Fura itself 1 found TO possess a formation OF
quartzitic slate and diorite, between which gold
reefs were running. Under the ruins 1 found q
large auuvial tract. in which we discovered gold,
and near II magnificent quartz reefs The an
cient workings which found were not only sur
face Workings but there were also shafts and
roads hewn into the rock I have built sta
tion in this district, and also one in Inyangs,
both of which are in charge Of trustworthy Eu-
rOpeans. I intend next summer to further in
vestigate the traces Of diamonds coal, white
mica and saltpetre which we found
My theory with regard to Ophir," said DR..
Peters, in conclusion, is this: The ancient con-
querOrs heard at the mouth or the Zambesf or
rich aIluviaI gold up river and sailed up to the
eastern entrance Of the Lupata. beyond which
rapids made navigation difficult They then
proceeded overland and found under the very
walls Of the fortihcatiOns Tuins of which We
have discovered) alluviaI and also reef gold
They then settled for a considerable PERIOD
and afterward migrated to the west toward
the Ruenye. They eventually settled in the
cool climate OF Inyauga, conquered all thf
districts west and southwest as far as thN
Sanvate River and Tete, and built a greaS
empire along the Zambesi and Sabi rivers This
ancient Sabean empire probably lasted for thou
con Dc Of 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 Ophlr are
to be found the Zambesi. As a result or my
investigation the Arabian and Indian theories
regarding Ophir fall to pieces, and claim unS
hesitatingly to have located this year the Colder
Ophir Of King Solomon and King Hiram