The Placer herald., 1857-04-11
Chinese Discovery of America 14O0 Years
Ago

Mr.. James IIanley, Chinese Interpreter,
has furnished the Bulletn with some most
interesting statistics in regard to the discoye-
ry of America by the Chinese He says
The Spaniards discovered America $40
years ago The Welsh claim an earlier dis
covery in favor of their prince Madoc. The
Northmen, Of the lth century, claim the
honor Of the first discovery at even an earlier
date. But the Chinese claim it prior to
them aIl-at tilne according to their his
tory, about 400 years ago.
In Chinese history we find descriptions of
vast country 10000 lie to the eastward
across the great ocean, which, from the de-
scrlption given, must he California and Mex
leo. The account states that several Bud
hist priests at llingchau, about 400, having
arrived there reported that Fusang (Amerca)
lay to the east about 10000 Ie, or 5000
miles, from Japan; and that, in A. y. 45o
five menticant priests had gone there and
distributed Buddhist tracts and images among
the inhabitants, which by that means chang
ed their customs as Buddhism was not for
merly known to them.
The description of Fusang, as given by the
Chinese historian, differs but little from that
given by the Spanards, when they conquer
ed Mexico. lie calls the country Fusang
from the name of a particular tree that grew
there, and which he describes thus: "lhe
leaves of the tusang, when first produced, re-
semble those of the bamboo. The inhabi-
tants eat the fruit like pears, and weave its
bulk into cloth for clothing and articles of
embroidery They have books which are
written on the bark Of the tusang" OF this
tree (the maguey) Prescott says, that its
'brused leaves afford paste, from which
paper was made; its juice was manufactured
into an intoxicating beverage puLQUE, of
which the natives, to this day are excessively
fond; its leaves supplied an impenetrable
thatch for the more humble dwellings,; thread,
of which coarse stutfs were made and strong
cords were made from its tough and twisted
fibres; pins and needles were made of The
the root, when properly cooked, was convert
ed into palatable and nutritious food. The
maguey, in short, was meat, drink, clothing
and writing material for the Aztec Surely,
never did nature enclose, in so compact a
form, SO many of the elements of human
comfort and civilization"
Again, the Chinese historian states, ''that
they had no iron, but that they possessed
copper. They did not esteem gold and sill
ver" The use of iron was unknown to them,
but they found a substitute in an alloy Of
copper and tin, with which they could cut
metal and stones. Silver, the great staple
of their country at the time Of the conquest,
may have, a thousand years earlier, been un-
noticed or uncoveted by them.
BY carefully examining the Chinese his
tory and comparing it with that of Pres
colts conquest Of Mexico" we find but few
points of difference, In their treatment Of
criminals, habits of the Judges religion, and
in many other respects, they agree with each
other so well, that no doubts need be enter
tanned in the least, regarding the authenticity
of the Chinese accounts The religion of
the Aztecs was in most respects like Budd-
hsm. The arts, institutions and customs,
were almost the same as the Chinese By
careful examination and contrasting of
both historians, inquiring minds will not
doubt in the least, that the Chinese discov-
cred this Continent a thousand years earlier
than any other nation.
AN OLD BoY.-The latest novelty in the
way of "amusements" is the specimen of
"a