An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the - Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the Year, 1170 by John Williams
page 44 of 74 (59%)
page 44 of 74 (59%)
|
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. |
|