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
Mr. Williams, to whom the above was written, adds, "I have met the above
gentleman several times, and he confirms the latter part of this
narrative; that Mr. Ch. is a near relation of his; that Mr. Ch. was
introduced to the chief of the Padoucas, by whom he was received with
much solemnity, owing to his being of white complexion, from which
circumstance, as far as Mr. Ch. could understand by being amongst them,
he was deemed an angel of God, his hands and his feet being washed by
order of the chief, who appeared much advanced in years, his hair being
long and perfectly white; that the people chiefly subsist by the produce
of the chase; that the instruments they use on the occasion are
generally bows and arrows; that the farther he advanced from the
frontiers, the different tribes he passed through were the more
civilized."
Upon the occasion of the visit of General Bowles, a chief of the
Cherokees, to London, on official business, in 1792, he was waited on by
several eminent Welsh gentlemen to inquire if he knew anything of the
Welsh Indians. He replied, "Yes, I know them, and they are called the
Padoucas, or White Indians. This title is given them because of their
complexions." When a map was laid before him on which that name was
inscribed, he said that these were the people, and showed the limits of
their country. He said that "generally they were called the White
Padoucas, but those who live in the northern parts are called Black
Padoucas, because they are a mixture of the White Padoucas and other
Indians. The White Padoucas are as you are, having some of them sandy,
some red, and some black hair. They are very numerous, and one of the
most warlike people on the continent."
The gentlemen present then informed General Bowles of the times and
circumstances of Madoc's voyages, when he replied, "They must have been
as early as that period, otherwise they could not have increased to be
so numerous a people. I have travelled their southern boundaries from
one side to the other, but have never entered their country. Another
reason I have for thinking them to be Welsh is, that a Welshman was with
me at home for some time, who had been a prisoner among the Spaniards
and had worked in the mines of Mexico, and by some means he contrived to
escape, got into the wilds, and made his way across the continent, and
eventually passed through the midst of the Padoucas, and at once found
himself with a people with whom he could converse, and he stayed for
some time. He told me that they had several books, which were most
religiously preserved in skins and were considered by them as mysteries.
These they believed gave an account from whence they came. They said
they had not seen a white man like themselves, who was a stranger, for a
long time."
General Bowles was of Irish descent, and had many respectable relatives
residing in London, whither he had come on a public mission in behalf of
the Cherokees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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