CHAPTER XV. THE WELSH LANGUAGE AMONG AMERICAN INDIANS.
An eminent modern linguist has said "that the genealogy and antiquities of nations can be learned only from the sure testimony of their languages." Admitting the correctness of such a statement, though it does not possess axiomatic accuracy, it may furthermore be added, that the discovery of portions of a language among other distant nations, separated by a vast ocean, and differing in race, language, habits, and conditions of life, surely indicates that some who spoke that language must have brought it there. It may be urged that distant resemblances have led enthusiastic philologists in support of their cause to imagine a similarity in the form and sound of certain words, when, in fact, those words are entirely different in meaning. Instances of this kind have occurred in the study of the European languages. But when it is found that an identity exists in (1) the form, (2) the sound, and (3) the signification, and that, too, in multiplied instances, there is reason to believe that this identity does not rest on accident or coincidence. The student of language searches for some more satisfactory solution of the question, by ascertaining, if possible, how those portions were introduced.
Now, this is just the case with the Celtic language found among the Indian dialects. From New England to South America, Celtic words have been found whose structure, pronunciation, and signification were the same as those in use by the Gaels, Erse or Irish, and Welsh. Names of tribes, persons, places, rivers, and of many living and inanimate objects on the American continent, have been applied, and are now used, which can find their right place only by assigning to them a Celtic origin. This very soon came to be observed by all Europeans who arrived in the country, and some set themselves diligently to work to find out the cause. Some said that was not to be wondered at,—the finding of Celtic words among Americans,—for undoubtedly the Celts have been very widely spread over the globe. This, however, was too general an affirmation to satisfy others. The celebrated Bishop Nicholson believed that the Welsh language formed a considerable part of the languages of the American nations. Sir Thomas Herbert, who published his travels in London in 1683, has given a list of words taken from the Indian dialects, which have an undoubted Welsh origin: groeso, "welcome," gwenddwr, "white or limpid water," bara, "bread," tad, "father," mam, "mother," buch or buwch, "cow," llwnog, "fox," coch y dwr, "a red water-bird," clugjar (American, clugar), "partridge." Some doubt the derivation of "penguin" from pengwyn, because it is thought that "white head"—its literal meaning—would be a misnomer when applied to the American penguin. By no means. As it stands on its short legs it presents a white front from its head and exposed breast, and might very well have received this appellation. There is some similarity in the name of a once powerful chief who lived in New England to that of Madoc, viz., Madokawando,—Madoc and gwrando, "to listen" or "to be obedient to," "to submit to or follow." The guttural g in the Welsh language is often dropped, especially before a vowel. Take the Welsh verb gallu, "to be able," or the noun gall, "energy, might," and by the omission of the letter g the words will stand allu, all. U is sounded like e in English, hence allu would be pronounced alle. Alligeni (Alleghany) is a compound word, composed of allu, "mighty," and geni, "born," or "mighty born." This is the name of the people who once dwelt along the immense range called by that name, and were displaced by the powerful nations, particularly the Iroquois, who came from the northwest. Potomac has a more evident Greek origin, for its word for "river" is potamos. Pontigo seems to come from pont, "a bridge," and go, "a smith,"—"a smith's bridge." Nanticoke is found in nant-y-cwch, "a curved brook or river,"—a very appropriate designation for that tribe, whether applied prior to their leaving the river in Maryland or after ascending the Susquehanna.
Appomattox—now well known to the world—signifies appwy, "appoint" or "name," and Mattox, "Madoc" or "Mattoc," the latter having the soft Silurian sound; hence, "Madoc's name."
Madoc's Creek is known by most Virginians, and by others.
It is well known that in the origin of Indian names it was customary for the tribes to assume those of the country they inhabited which had some distinct peculiarities. By this means, as they removed from one place to another, these names became multiplied. For example, the U-in-tats, known as a branch of the Utes, belonged to the Uintah Valley. U-imp is the name for pine; U-imtoo-meap, pine-land, which, contracted, means U-intahs. The origin of Ute is as follows: U is a term signifying arrow; U-too-meap, arrow-land, because the country bordering Utah Lake furnished the reeds for arrow-shafts.
Aztlan seems clearly to have been derived from Welsh words having become mingled with Indian dialects, as as, "plane surface" or "area," and lan, "up," an elevated area or table-land. What better definition could be found to describe the Aztec plateau, beginning in Aztlan proper and continuing to widen into the Mexican plateau? The termination lan is very common in the Aztec language. It is found in the names of tribes, their cities, and a multitude of other objects,—Tlascalans, Cholulans, and other peoples who dwelt in and around the upper countries of the Aztec empire. The terminations an and pan, the latter indicating locality, as prefix or suffix, are very noticeable. So frequent also is the use of ch, th, and ll, that the Welsh student who speaks or reads aloud Aztec words is simply astounded by their perfect consonance with those of his native tongue.
Rev. Morgan Jones affirms that in 1660 he conversed with Indians who spoke and understood the Welsh language, that he remained among them and preached in that language four months, and that it was his intention when he left to return and visit them. Rev. Charles Beatty, General Bowles, Messrs. Price, Binon, Willin, Burnell, Griffith, Stuart, Sevier, Lewis, and many others unhesitatingly relate that they personally, or those whom they knew to be veracious, intelligent witnesses, had visited Indians who spoke the Welsh language sufficiently to be understood by them, without taking into account their other peculiarities of color, beard, customs, traditions, arts, etc.
George Catlin, who spent years of patient investigation into the language of the Mandans and of other Indians, has given a table of Mandan and Welsh words, with their pronunciations. Those who have any acquaintance with the Moquis and Mohave tongues declare that they contain Welsh words. Relics with Celtic inscriptions have been unearthed. Aztec and Spanish chroniclers confirm more recent researches respecting the presence of Celtic words in the old Aztec language. The speech of Montezuma discloses their eastern origin, and that their astounding civilization was due to white men.
What then?
Why, that such a mass of testimony under such a variety of circumstances, precluding the idea of preconcert, interest, prejudice, or downright ignorance, establishes the fact that the Welsh were on this continent prior to its discovery by Columbus, and that those Welsh were led thither by Prince Madoc in 1170 A.D. Many historical facts to which the world has given implicit credence are far less supported than the above. Hereafter let not American historians pass over these facts in contemptuous silence.