Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-02-19
"OPHTR" In AFRICA
Or. PETERS CONFIDENT HE HAS
FOUND FAMOUS LAND.
Well-known Explorer Brings Forward
Many Arguments TO Prove Claims
of Dark Continent 10
Distinction.

DIR. Carl Peters, SO we'll known In
connection with the opening mp OF
Africa. has started on lecturing
tour in Germany with two objects
in view-flrst, TO win recruits to the
cause of German expansion I'm the
dark continent; second, to prove that
he has found the famous gold land
OF Ophir.
The reader who has forgotten where
the word "ophir" occurs will find II
I'm the biblical books OF Kings and
Chronicles. One thousand years be-
fore Christ King David and the wise
Solomon. his son. sent to Ophir ships
which brought back from thence gold
and precious stones ivory and valu-
able timber which these magnificent
rulers employed in building their gor-
geous temples and palaces
Peters began to think of this sub
feet after he had discovered an old
Flemish map OF the eighteenth ecu
fury on which he saw the word
"Ophir" printed across one or the
least-known districts of southern Cen
trail Africa The first thing that
names Africa and ophir. There was
first the Arabic word Afr (Ophir),
which when Latinized became Afer
IL was an easy translation from Afer
TO Africa lie thought further ana
deeper and began to read Christian
tradition. All pointed to South Az
RIGA.
The ancient literature he read mace
Peters also acquainted with the fact
that at all ages since Solomon's tine
Ophir had been sought In numerous
parts of the world-in Arabia, Persia.
Mesopotamia, India; IL had even been
sought i'm America. and there are ar
Client Spanish records which state
that among the early conquistadoren
OF Peru and Mexico were not n few
who believed that they had found not
only Tel Dorado but Ophir as well
Suddenly It occurred TO Peters that
the famous gold land must be In the
neighborhood OF Smbabje I'm southeast
Africa. 1t was an inspiration.
lie was attacked for this belief. AID
theologians and others with a different
theory cast on him tie reproach tina;
he was not Semitic scholar.
But he maintained that he WAS
right. The ships of solomon, he sail,
passed through the Red sea ard
skirted the coast OF Africa until they
arrived at their port And they Ger.
tainly must have brought back mll.
lions I'm gold
Only Africa could have produced
that quantity of gold Arabia and in.
dia have never produced gold in Ie-
markable quantities.
In his description of the zambesi
territory Peters says he has seen Ia.
Vulnerable traces which compel him TO
believe that there and nowhere else
was the land of Ophir. Forsakun
mines by the score are there. and 10
less than $4,000 places where gold has
been dug at depths OF from 30 to 40
feet. Ruins Of towns and villages, 10
mains OF temples and palaces speak
eloquently of the past glories OF tbs
region
They point moreover to Phoenician
origin. Mighty terraces and towers
raised by the hand OF man are stiD
traceable. These builders were Ger.
tainly OF race superior to the negro.
One still finds I'm the graves remnants
Of things which point to the worship
- 3aa
But Peters weigatiest argument IL
hat in the Septuagint translation II
che Bible Ophir is called sofala, ard
yhe Arabs to the present day cali the
Iambesi district indiffeyenuy Scfals
and the land OF gold"