America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D. — John Shaqi
America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D.Bowen, Benjamin Franklin
History
America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D.
Bowen, Benjamin Franklin
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Welsh
Passing thence westward to the streams which empty into the Ohio,--the
Alleghany, Monongahela, Muskingum,--and down the Ohio itself on both
sides, many wonderful earthen remains have been brought to view, those
circular in form being the most frequent. They show, too, that they were
constructed by a people who were migrating from one part of the country
to another through the pressure of enemies or the inducement of more
fertile lands.
In the year 1784, Mr. John Filson published a pamphlet entitled "The
Discovery, Settlement, and Present State of Kentucky," wherein, after
mentioning the story of Madoc, he has these words: "This account has at
different times drawn the attention of the world; but, as no vestiges of
them [the Welsh] had then been found, it was concluded, perhaps too
rashly, to be a fable,--at least, that no remains of the colony existed.
But of late years the Western settlers have received frequent accounts
of a nation at a great distance up the Missouri (a branch of the
Mississippi) in manners and appearance resembling other Indians, but
speaking Welsh and retaining some ceremonies of the Christian worship;
and at length this is universally believed to be fact. Captain Abraham
Chaplain, a gentleman whose veracity may be entirely depended upon,
assured me that in the late war, being with his company in garrison at
Kaskaskia, some Indians came there, and, speaking the Welsh language,
were perfectly understood, and conversed with two Welshmen in his
company, and that they informed them of their situation as mentioned
above." Mr. Filson then continues: "That there are remains in Kentucky
which prove that the country was formerly inhabited by a nation farther
advanced in the arts of life than the Indians, and that these are
usually attributed to the Welsh, who are supposed formerly to have
inhabited these parts; that a great number of regular intrenchments are
found there, and ancient fortifications with ditches and bastions,--one
in particular containing about six acres of land, and others three
acres; that pieces of earthenware were plowed up, a manufacture the
Indians were never acquainted with."
About the time Mr. Filson's pamphlet appeared, Rev. Mr. Rankin, a
resident of Kentucky, told William Owen, of London, that it was certain
that a tribe or tribes of Welsh Indians then existed far westward, and
that a vast uncultivated hunting-ground intervened, through which it was
dangerous to pass, because of the depredations of the wild Indians, who
destroyed everything that came in their way. He declared that there were
unmistakable evidences of their formerly having occupied the country
about Kentucky, such as _wells dug_ which remained unfilled, _the ruins
of buildings_, _mill-stones_, _implements of iron_, _ornaments_, etc.
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