[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 assigns 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 Embassy 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 Circumstance was the means of saving his Life.
"They took him back with them into their Country where he found a Tribe, whore 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.]