A LOST CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 22

A LOST CITY

Preparations for the departure of an expedition into the Kalahari Desert, in order to discover the whereabouts of the supposed lost city, first described by an American traveller named Farini, 60 years ago, are being made by the Automobile Association of South Africa.

The lost city, if the story told by Farini and others is true, is believed to have formed a link in an extensive prehistoric chain of stores or forts, which were established by a people who came te Africa for gold and precious stones. This chain stretched from Sofala, Portuguese East Africa to Zimbabwe, and from tbere across the Kalahari to Walvis Bay.

The ruins of the city, covered by desert sands, which only occasionally are scattered by strong winds, are supposed to contain a great hoard of treasure iv emeralds, diamonds, rubies, lapis lazuli, topaz and onyx. Last year, roving bands of bushmen confirmed Farini's story.

The expeditiou will be under the guidance of an old Johannesburg pioneer, who has had some experience of the region, and is now. engaged in prospecting on tho : border of the desert. Farini's book, published in 1871, gives not only a, description of the ruins, but also the reproduction of a photograph of the scene taken by him.

He related that his expedition consisted' of a mule caravan and some white and Hottentot followers. They came - from a northern direction thrbugh Soulh-West Africa, and pitched their camp at the foot of a hill close

SOUTH AFRICAN SEARCH

ito a long line of stones, which he describes us resembling the Great Wall of China. Some of the stones resembled tables standing on one leg, or mushrooms. He followed the course of the mill for a distance of nearly a mile, and then put his Hottentots to the work of excavation. After some time, however, they refused to go on with it, aud left Farini to continue the work with his white companions.

Ho aud his men dug more deeply until they came to a floor made of large stones. It was crossed at right angles by another floor, and at the point of intersection Favini presumed that there must have stood a column or plinth, the tower portion of which was of ilutcd masonry. They searched for some script that might furnish a clue to this desert inj'stery. but found none;

Farini's account of the ruins is verified by certain bush-people on the South-West border, who told a similar story to Mr. Eoger Jackson, a leading land surveyor, states the "Daily Express." A porcelain Buddha is actually in existence that is said to have been picked up somewhere in the Kalahari. -

A number of other people have borne out Farini's statements, but Professor Schwartz doubts the existence of any ruins in the Kalahari. The expedition now setting out may shed light on this vexed subject. It intends.establishing contact with the roving bands of Maseru bushmen Who. tell tales'of the existence, of the ruins. As ai find the lost city may eclipse Zimbabwe, or even the ■Walls of Jericho. . "