An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the Discovery of America Part 3

The Language and Customs of the Indians, will be noticed hereafter.

To these Evidences must be added what the Authors of the universal History, and Dr. Campbell, in his Naval History of Great Britain, have said.

"That the Welsh contributed towards the peopleing of America is intimated by some good Authors, and ought to be considered as a Notion supported by something more than bare Conjectures. Powel, in his History of Wales informs us that a War happening in that Country for the Succession, upon the death of Owen Gwyneth. A.

D. 1170, and a b.a.s.t.a.r.d having carried it from his lawful Sons, one of the latter, called, Madog, put to Sea for new Discoveries, and sailing West from Spain, he discovered a New World of wonderful Beauty and Fertility. But finding this uninhabited, upon his return, he carried thither a great Number of People from Wales. To this delightful Country he made three Voyages, according to Hakluyt.

The Places he discovered seem to be Virginia, New England, and the adjacent Countries. In Confirmation of this, Peter Martyr says that the Natives of Virginia and Guatimala celebrated the Memory of one Madoc as a great and ancient Hero, and hence it came to pa.s.s that Modern Travellers have found several Old British Words among the Inhabitants of North America; _Matec Zunga_ and _Mat Inga_ as being in use among the Guatimallians, in which there is a plain allusion to Madoc, and that with the D softened into T, according to the Welsh manner of p.r.o.nunciation. Nay, Bishop Nicolson seems to believe that the Welsh Language makes a considerable part of several of the American Tongues. According to a famous British Antiquary, the Spainards borrowed their double L. (LL) from the people of Mexico, who received it from the Welsh; and the Dutch brought a Bird with a white Head from the Streights of Magellan, called by the Natives, Penguin, which word in the Old British (and in Modern British) signifies 'White Head;' and therefore seems Originally to have come from Wales. This must be allowed an additional Argument, to omit others that occur in Favour of Madoc's three American Expeditions."[dd]

[Footnote dd: Universal History. Vol. XX. Dissertion upon the peopling of America, p. 193. Edit. 1748.]

It would hence seem that these Writers were inclined to believe the Tradition concerning Madog; for they say that it is a notion supported by something more than bare Conjectures.

They say also that they have omitted other Arguments in Favour of Madog's Expeditions.

In the British Tongue, the double L (LL) hath a peculiar sound, different from any in other Tongues. It hath been said that in the Spanish it has the same sound. But a Gentleman who understands the Spanish Language informed me that it is not like the Welsh double, LL, though it hath a peculiar sound. However, if the Spanish Tongue hath such a sound, or one near to it, it might have been derived from the Inhabitants of Mexico or Guatimala; for we have very strong reasons to believe that the Descendants of Madog's Colony, spread themselves over a great part of America. But more of this hereafter.

Dr. Campbell in his Naval History agrees with the above Writers, in his general Account, and concludes with these Observations.

"It must be confessed that there is nothing which absolutely fixes this Discovery of America, though it must likewise be owned that the Course before set down might very possibly carry him thither.

The great point is to know how far the fact may be depended upon, and in relation to this, I will venture to a.s.sert that there are _Authentic Records_, in the British Tongue, as to this Expedition of Madog's, wherever he went, prior to the Discovery of America by Columbus, and that many probable Arguments may be offered in support of this Notion. That these Britons were the Discoverers of that new World is also true, though at present we have not an Opportunity to insist upon them." And in a Note Mr. Campbell adds, "Meredith ab Reece, a Cambrian Bard, who died in 1477, composed an Ode in his Native Language on this Expedition,[ee] from which the particulars above mentioned are taken, and this was prior to Columbus's Discovery; so that Fact would never have encouraged the framing of this Fable, even supposing it to be so."[ff]

[Footnote ee: This Ode was cited above, p. 13 &c. It was not written on Madog's Expedition, but contains an Allusion to it.]

[Footnote ff: Naval History. Vol. I. P.257. Edit. 2. Mr. Buache seems to believe Madog's Emigration. History and Memoires of the Royal Academy of Paris, for 1784. Monthly Review, Vol, 78. p. 616.

Had there not been a Tradition concerning this Fact before the Days of Queen Elizabeth, this Discovery would hardly have been attributed to a people so little known as the Britons were at that Period.

It would have been ascribed to some more renowned and powerful Nation.]

It is evident, from this Extract, that Dr. Campbell gave credit to this Tradition, and a.s.signs as a Reason, an Ode written by Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, (containing an allusion to it) who died about 1477, during the Reign of Richard the 3d, some Years before Columbus first sailed Westward. Hence then it clearly appears that it was not a Story invented to dispute the discovery of America with the Spaniards; for when this Ode was written, Europeans had no Notion of a Western World. The Voyages of Madog were little known, but to the Native Welsh, nor did they know whither he went. That it was to America, was a discovery of after Ages. Had the Story been first mentioned in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when at War with Philip the 2d. King of Spain, it might have appeared suspicious; but as it had been celebrated and alluded to in an Ode written 50 Years before she was born, there can, in my Opinion, be no room for suspicion. The Bard wrote an Ode of thanks to a Friend for a Favour, in which he alludes to a Fact, honourable to his Country men, but then of no advantage to them, for all Intercourse between the Countries had ceased for Hundreds of Years.

I now proceed to modern Travellers, who prove, that at present, there are Tribes In North America descended from the Ancient Britons.

Mr. Charles Beatty, a Missionary from New York, accompanied by a Mr. Duffield, visited some Inland parts, of North America in the Year 1766. If I rightly understand his Journal, he travelled about 400, or 500 Miles, to the South West of New York. During his Tour he met with several Persons who had been among the Indians from their Youth, or who had been taken Captives by them, and lived with them several Years. Among others one Benjamin Sutton, who had visited different Nations, and had lived many Years with them.

His Account, in Mr. Beatty's Words, was as follows.

"He, (Benjamin Sutton) informed us, when he was with the Chactaw Nation, or Tribes of Indians at the Mississipi, he went to an Indian Town a very considerable Distance from New Orleans, whose Inhabitants were of different Complexions; not so tawny as those of the other Indians, and who spoke Welsh. He said he saw a Book among them, which he supposed was a Welsh Bible, which they carefully kept wrapped up in a Skin, but they could not read it; and that he heard some of these Indians afterwards in the lower Shawanaugh Town speak Welsh with one Lewis a Welsh-man, Captive there. This Welsh Tribe now live on the West-side of the Mississipi River, a great way above New Orleans.

"Levi Hicks--as being among the Indians from his Youth, told us he had been, when attending an Emba.s.sy in a Town of Indians, on the West-side of the Mississipi River, who talked Welsh, (as he was told, for he did not understand them) and our Interpreter Joseph saw some Indians whom he supposed to be of the same Tribe, who talked Welsh, for he told us some of the Words they said, which he knew to be Welsh, as he had been acquainted with some Welsh People.

"Correspondent hereto, I have been informed that many Years ago, a Clergyman went from Britain to Virginia, and having lived some time there, went from thence to South Carolina; but either because the Climate did not agree with him, or for some other reason, resolved to return to Virginia, and accordingly set out by Land, accompanied by some other persons; but travelling thro' the back parts of the Country which was very thinly inhabited, supposing, very probably, this was the nearest Way, he fell in with a party of Indian Warriors going to attack the Inhabitants of Virginia, against whom they had declared War.

"The Indians upon examining the Clergyman, and finding that he was going to Virginia, looked upon him, and his Companions as belonging to Virginia, and therefore took them all Prisoners, and let them know they must die. The Clergyman in preparation for another World went to prayer, and being a Welsh-man, prayed in the Welsh Language, possibly because this Language was most familiar to him, or to prevent the Indians understanding him. One or more of the party of the Indians, was much surprised to hear him pray in their Language.

Upon this they spoke to him, and finding that he could understand their speech, they got the Sentance of Death reversed; and this happy Circ.u.mstance was the means of saving his Life.

"They took him back with them into their Country where he found a Tribe, wh.o.r.e Native Language was Welsh, though the Dialect was a little different from his own, which he soon came to understand.

They shewed him a Book, which he found to be the Bible, but which they could not read; and if I mistake not, his ability to read it tended to raise their regard for him.[gg]

[Footnote gg: Mr. Jones in his Narrative does not mention a Book, but that he conversed familiarly with, and preached to these Indians in Welsh. It appears from hence that Mr. Beatty had not seen Mr.

Jones's Narrative. It were to be wished that this Book, or a Copy of it, could be procured.]

"He stayed among them some time and endeavoured to instruct them in the Christian Religion. He at length proposed to go back to his own Country, and return to them with some other Teachers, who would be able to instruct them in their own Language; to which proposal they consenting, he accordingly set out from thence, and arrived in Britain, with full intention to return to them with some of his Country-men in order to teach these Indians Christianity.

But I was acquainted that not long after his arrival he was taken sick, and died, which put an end to his schemes.[hh]

[Footnote hh: Mr. Jones says that he was taken Prisoner by the Indians in 1660, and continued with them 4 months. His Narrative is dated 1685-6, and he then lived at New York, or within 12 Miles of it. It is not at an likely therefore that he returned to Britain, and died here. See pages, 16, 17, and 26.]

"Sutton farther told us that among the Delaware Tribe of Indians, he observed their Women to follow exactly the Custom of the Jewish Women, in keeping separate from the rest Seven Days at certain Times as prescribed in the Mosaic Law; that from some Old Men among them he had heard the following Traditions: That of old Time their people were divided by a River, and one part tarrying behind;[ii] that they knew not for certainty, how they came first to this Continent, but account thus for their coming into there parts, near where they are now settled: That a King of their Nation, when they formerly lived far to the West, left his Kingdom to his two Sons; that the one Son making War upon the other, the latter thereupon determined to depart and seek some New Habitation; that accordingly he set out accompanied by a number of his people, and that after wandering too and fro for the s.p.a.ce of 40 Years,[kk] they at length came to Delaware River, where they settled 370 Years ago. The Way, he says, they keep an account of this, is by putting on a Black Bead of Wampum every Year since, on a Belt they have for that purpose.

[Footnote ii: Does not this Tradition refer to the pa.s.sages of the Israelites over Jordan into the Land of Canaan under the Conduct of Joshua?]

[Footnote kk: The unsettled State of North Wales, the Departure of Madog, and his Travels before he finally Settled, seem implied in the above Account, or it may be a confused Tradition of the Travels of the Israelites in the Wilderness.]

"He farther added that the King of that Country from whence they came, some Years ago, when the French were in possession of Fort Duquesne, sent out some of his People, in order if possible, to find out that part of their Nation that departed to seek a new Country, and that these Men after seeking six Years, came at length to the Pickt Town on the Oubache River, and there happened to meet with a Delaware Indian, named Jack, after the English, whose Language they could understand; and that by him they were conducted to the Delaware Towns where they tarried one year, and returned; that the French sent a White Man with them properly furnished to bring back an Account of their Conntry who, the Indians said, could not return in less than 14 Years, for they lived a great Way towards the Sun setting. It is now, Sutton says, about 10 or 12 Years since they went away. He added that the Delawares observe the Feast of first Fruits, or the green Corn Feast. So far Sutton."[ll]

[Footnote ll: Journal of a Two Month's Tour, &c. by Charles Beatty.

A. M. dedicated to the Earl of Dartmouth. London. 1768. p. 24, &c. Note.]

Before I make any Remarks on the above long Extract I will produce another Evidence of late Date, to confirm the Truth of Mr. Jones's Narrative. It is an Accouut given by Captain Isaac Stewart, taken from his own Mouth, in March 1782, and inserted in the Public Advertizer, 0ct. 8th, 1785.

"I was taken Prisoner about 50 Miles to the West-ward of Fort Pitt, about 18 Years ago by the Indians, and was carried by them to the Wabash with many more White Men who were executed with Circ.u.mstances of horrid Barbarity. It was my good Fortune to call forth the Sympathy of what is called the good Woman of the Town, who was permitted to redeem me from the Flames, by giving, as my Ransom, a Horse.

"After remaining two Years in Bondage among the Indians, a Spaniard came to the Nation, having been sent from Mexico on Discoveries.

He made Application to the Chiefs for redeeming me and another White Men, who was in a like Situation, named John Davey (David) which they complied with. And we took our Departure in Company with the Spaniard to the Westward, crossing the Mississipi near Rouge or Red River, up which we travelled 700 Miles, when we came to a Nation of Indians remarkably White, and whose Hair was of a reddish Colour, at least, mostly so. They lived on the Banks of a Small River which is called the River Post. In the Morning of the Day after our Arrival, the Welsh Man informed me that he was determined remain with them, giving us a Reason, that he understood their Language, it being very little different from the Welsh. My Curiosity was excited very much by this Information, and I went with my Companion to the Chief Men of the Town, who informed him in a Language that I had no knowledge of, and which had no affinity to that of other Indian Tongues that I ever heard, that their Fore Fathers of this Nation came from a Foreign Country, and landed on the East Side of the Mississipi, describing particularly the Country now called Florida, and that on the Spaniards taking possession of Mexico, they fled to their then Abode. And as a proof of the Truth of what he advanced, he brought forth Rolls of Parchment, which were carefully tied up in Otter's Skins, on which were large Characters written with blue Ink. The Characters I did not understand, and the Welsh Man being unacquainted with Letters, even, of his own Language, I was not able to know the meaning of the writing. They are a bold, hardy, and intrepid people, very Warlike, and the Women beautiful when compared with other Indians."

Captain Stewart and Mr. Beatty's account are nearly of the same Date, though related by the Captain in March 1782.

The Riches of the Country I take no Notice of, as they do not concern my Subject, which is only the Manners, Customs, Traditions, and Language of the Inhabitants.

The Information given us by the Captain and Mr. Beatty, seems to confirm, I may almost say, establish, the Truth of Llwyd's and Powel's History, and of Mr. Jones's Narrative. The latter says that in the Year 1660, some Indian Tribes spoke Welsh; and his Testimony appears to me unquestionable because he understood it.

Messrs. Stewart and Beatty say that it was the Language of some Indian Tribes about the Years 1766 and 1768.

This is said by Mr. Beatty on the Testimony of Four different Persons, Benjamin Sutton, Levi Hicks, Jack (who was himself a Delaware Indian) and Joseph the Interpreter, who each of them had lived a long time in the Country, and were acquainted with the Traditions that prevailed among the Inhabitants. These Persons declared that they know Tribes of Indians who used the ancient British Tongue.

There is not the least reason to call their Veracity in question, or even to charge Them with Credulity, for they could have no Interest in propagating such a report among Persons who were not Welsh, if it were not true. Captain Stewart seems to have visited parts of the Country to the West, and South West, far beyond the Extent of Mt. Beatty's Tour.

From these accounts, accurately compared together, it would seem that the Welsh Tribes are now divided into three Tribes, separate from one another. The Tuscoraras, on the South side of Lake Erie, between the Ohio and Mississipi Rivers, behind Pensylvania. The Delawares, whom I take to be the same with the Doegs, lower down on the Ohio, and Delaware Rivers; and the other Tribe to the West of the Mississipi, from whose Country, we are told the Rivers flow to the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. The Account which the above named Persons gave to Mr. Beatty is the more credible, as it is not at all probable, I may say, possible, that either of these had ever heard of Llwyd and Powel's History; and very little if any thing of Mr. Jones's Narrative. Of Mr. Jones, however, there seems to have been some Tradition in the Country, perhaps, among the Indians; for he must have been the Clergyman alluded to by Mr. Beatty.

A Tradition supported by such corroborating Circ.u.mstances must have had some foundation of Truth, and as the Language was evidently Welsh, it appears to me, beyond all reasonable Doubt, that these Tribes are descended from Prince Madog's Colony. That the Language was Welsh cannot be denied; for one Lewis a Welsh-man conversed with Indians in their own Language. It is observable also that they had a Book among them upon which they set a great Value, though they could not read it. This Book, I conclude was a Welsh Bible, which Mr. Jones could read and understand. The Book which Captain Stewart saw seems also to have been a Welsh Bible, for it was found in the Hands of a people who spoke Welsh; and we are told by Mr. Beatty that Mr. Jones's being able to read this Book, much recommended him to the Indians. The Captain says that the "Welsh-man was not acquainted with Letters, even, those of his own Language." This seems rather surprizing to me; for whatever may have been the original alphabetical Characters of the Ancient Britons, they used the Greek Characters in the Days of Julius Caesar.[mm] which I presume, the Captain could read; and it is almost certain, that the Britons used the Roman Characters in the twelfth Century when Madog emigrated.

[Footnote mm: Graecis Literis utuntur. Com. Lib. VI. As the Gauls and the Britons at this period, were Friends and Allies, and of the same Origin, without doubt, they made use of the same alphabetical Characters.

Drych y prif Oesoedd. p. 25 and 35.]

I have no authority positively to a.s.sert it, but it is possible that the Scriptures, translated into Welsh, might be written in Creek Characters, for the Welsh-man could not read them. Those Characters might be thought Sacred, because in these Characters, the Gospel was first written. Had they been Roman, as they had been long in use, the Welsh-man, if he knew any Letters at all, could not be ignorant of them. Some parts of North Wales, till of late Years, were far behind other parts, in every kind of Knowledge; but as Charity-Schools were opened in South Wales, above fifty Years ago, and in North Wales, above thirty, the Country is very much improved in this respect.[nn] Or, perhaps, the Book was written in the Ancient Greek Characters, of the same Form with those of the Alexandrian Ma.n.u.script in the British Museum. In that Case it is not at all surprizing that neither the Captain, nor the Welsh-man could read them.

[Footnote nn: A Welsh Gentleman observed to me that there may be found whole Parishes, in the princ.i.p.ality, where there are more Persons who cannot read, than those who can; and as he very justly added, there is hardly any one in the whole Number, who can read a Ma.n.u.script of the twelfth Century.]

Though the Art of Printing was not discovered in the Days of Madog, yet there can be no doubt, but that the Britons had Copies of the Scriptures in their own Language many Centuries before that period; for it is almost certain that they were converted to Christianity about the Year 177. Madog was of a Princely Family: it may therefore be reasonably thought that he and his Companions had one or more Copies among them.

The Jewish Customs mentioned by Mr. Beatty seem to establish the opinion, that some of the Original Inhabitants of the New Continent, were Jews, Carthaginians, or Phoenicians, among who those Customs prevailed.