Evening star., 1934-03-10
AWAT0RS TO land
NSHEBA'S CAPITAL.
Frenchmen Will Explore
Mysterious City on
Deserts Edge.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
PARIS, March 10.-Two French
aerial explorers prepared today for a
return flight to what they believe is
the ancient capital Of the glamorous
Queen OF Sheba.
Within the next few days, the two
Andre Malraux and Capt. Cornig-
lion Molinier-hope to retrace their
hazardous course over desert wastes to
the site of the discovery they reported
Thursday night This time. however,
they plan to land. They hope to enter
and explore the long sought, mysterl-
GUS city. instead of merely circling
overhead in their plane.
In a message to the air ministry
telling of their plans, Malraux, author
and archaeologist, failed to give the
exact geographical location of what
he believes is the ancient capital.
On Desert Boundary.
Malraux merely said they had found
the Legendary city on the north
boundary of the Great Arabian or
Ruba-el-Khali Desert, the most DESC
late desert in the world.
It was indicated that the city which
the explorers said they saw and pho
tographed from the air-with 40
towers or temples still standing
about 900 miles southeast of Jerusa-
lem on the west side of Arabia.
The two were heard from by tele-
gram from Djibouti, French Somali-
land. They have established a base
there.
From this point they will face again
an even chance of death in flying 900
miles over the desert to reach the
spot where they believe lies the city
for which men have searched 1000
years.
Travel Over Deserts.
Following that route on their first
flight, they passed over the Strait Of
Bab-el-Mendeb and the sandy wastes
of the desert-wastes which, so far as
is known. have been traversed only
twice by Europeans, both Englishmen,
In separate expeditions two years ago.
The adjacent territory, which for
merly was part of the great Queen s
realm, is inhabited now by wild, blood
thirsty tribes owing allegiance to none
and carrying a threat of swift death
to any luckless travellers falling into
their hands.
Apparently Capt Molinier and
Malraux believe their grave risks are
justified Archeologists and others
long have believed that great wealth
might be found If the city ever were
revealed.
Today, it was pointed out that If
the 30 towers or temples" reported
were, as the explorers said, partly
sand-covered, they probably have been
we'll preserved.
The site of the ancient city always
has been subject of speculation
among archeologists. Egyptians, Greeks
and Romans could never agree where
1t was situated.
Pliny the elder placed it in Yemen,
on the eastern coast of the Red Sea,
and the Latins favored some corner
Of the Arabian mountains.
Description Awaited.
Modern research workers have been
divided between the towns of March,
in Yemen Province, and Mein, but
recently experts have inclined to the
theory that the city is in the region
of Naith, the location of which ap-
pears more in keeping with ancient
descriptions of the Queens capital
Friends and associates of Malraux
here looked forward today to a more
complete description of the expedition
and discovery, giving the exact geo.
nj Of ,hot !, ho1;
is the fabled city-and more about
his plans to explore it.
Pending further details French ex-
perts withheld comment, since 1t was
not clear to them whether the city
was found near Naith or some inter-
mediate point on the course there
The ages-old quest for the city has
cost many lives. One European
reached Mein and Liyr and three
others got to March. Other expedi-
tons were captured and killed by
wild tribesmen or perished from thirst
In the burning sands.
The Importance of the discovery
however, was somewhat minimized by
Rene Dussaud, curator of Oriental
antiquities at the Louvre and lead
ing Arabian authority.
"Sheba's kingdom and its capital
already have been discovered and
have been known for many years to
have existed in the southern part Of
Arabia" said Dussard "Strabo and
other geographers placed it at
Mariaba
"The French traveller, Arnaud. there
copied numerous Sabean inscriptions
indicating it was Sheba's head
quarters.
"Malraux may have found some
thing else intensely interesting-more
interesting than the City of Sheba.
about whom many fairy tales and
legends have been woven"