Evening star., 1934-03-23
ARABS GUARDING
SHEBA'S CAPITAL
Explorers Declare Further
Research Must Await
Pacifying of Tribes.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 23.-Fierce Arabs
are believed by Andre MalrauX. French
explorer to be guarding the secrets OF
the rich lost metropolis Of the Queen
of Sheba's reign against modern ex-
ploration.
Malraux, who with his pilot. Capt.
Corniglion Molinier, returned here
yesterday, is sure they found the
Paris" of the glamorous Sheba In a
cluster of ruined towers and temples
on the southwestern edge of the
Ruba Ell -Khali Desert, which he iden-
tilted as the city of Naith.
Rich Treasures Expected.
The possibility that immensely val
liable archaeological treasures-in-
cluding the tombs of the Queen and
her dynasty-ie buried in the sandy
waste is seen by Malraux, author and
archaeologist.
1.-THE Arab nomads who fired upon
our plane when we few over the city
must be driven off, however. before
exploration will be possible Malraux
said.
Further research must await Brit
ish pacification of the region"
Exact Location Not Fixed.
until the desert is explored the
exact location Of the dead city can
not be fixed" said Malraux, adding
tude and latitude of the spot which
we reached after five hours of flying
almost due north from Djibouti,
French Somailand."
(In their report on the flight March
8 to the French air ministry, the air.
men indicated the city was about
1000 miles southeast of Jerusalem)
Explorers could mark the site ex-
actly," Malraux went on, by meas
uring the number of miles from a
given starting point"
The size of the cemetery convinced
Malraux he had found Sheba's real
metropolis.
"Sheba seemed to have three prov
tnces." he said. "Mareb, previously
believed to be the capital of all the
great Queens territory, was merely
the provincial capital, I believe, like
Mein-another known city.
Their cemeteries are only about
a quarter of a mile long, while the
metropolis of the newly discovered
city is mile and quarter long.
This leads me to believe that Naith
vas the capital of the kingdom"
City Three Miles Long.
Malraux said the city itself was
three miles long and about half as
wide.
Exhibiting photographs taken at a
height of a thousand feet over the
legendary city, Malraux pointed out
~ temples and towers whose window
less walls and setback architecture
like modern skyscrapers rising above
the lower houses further convinced
him the city dates to the time of the
famous queen.
The city, he said, is surrounded by
the ruins of double wall outside
which are pitched the tents of hostile
nomads who fired upon their plane as
1t spiraled low for better view.
our plane was not touched by q
bullet. but we plainly saw puffs of
smoke from their rifles" Malraux said.
The city is believed by Malraux to
nave been great clearing center for
camel caravans bearing goods of an
clent India from the coast of the
Arabian Sea to Jerusalem. He sug-
gested that the queens visit to Sol
omon, as described in the Bible. may
nave been for an economic confer
ence after her prime minister failed
IN r1qlyp
was evidence that Jews later became
more prominent in Shebas commerce.
Capt. Malinier declared 1T was a
fantastic viSion," as he described the
magnificent white marble city over
which they flew in the depths of the
trackless desert of Arabia on March g.
Both said they were moved deeply
When they first glimpsed the city's
majestic towers and temples still
standlng-a city sought for centuries.
Hit by Sand Storm.
We left Djibouti CFrench Somali-
land, where they established a basel
crossed the Red Sea and flew over
Yemen. We encountered a sand storm
that ragged five and one-haif hours.
but nevertheless continued Capt.
Molinier related.
Soon we saw thousands of tombs
that dot the Valley of Kings. Finally,
at the edge of the great Ruba-EI-
Khah Desert, an extraordinary white
city l0Omed up on the dark heights
streaked with ancient streams of lava.
We were above the city of the