Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-05-23
Wistellaneous.
fFrom the San Francisco BuIletnl
Chinese Discovery of America l4Oo
Years Ago.

Chinese discovery OF AInericca 1AOo
Years Ago.
The Spaniards discovered America 349
wears ago, The Welsh claim an earlier dis.
coyery in favor Of their Prince Madoc. The
Mortimer. OF the llth century, claim the
honor Of the first discovery at even an earlier
date. But the Chinese claim it prior TO them
al-at time according to their history, about
l400 years ago.
In Chinese history We find descriptions off
vast country 10000 lie to the eastward across
the great ocean, which, from the description
given, must be California and Mexico. The
account states that several Buddhist priests
at llingchau, about A. ID. 499, having arrived
there reported that Fusang Amerlca) lay to
the east about 10000 le, or 5000 from Ja-
pan and that, in A. ID. 459, i've medlcant
priests had went there and distributed Budd-
hist tracts aud images among the inhabitants,
which by that means changed their customs,
as Buddhism was not formerly known to them.
The description OF Fusang, as given by the
Chinese historian, differs bit little from that
given by the Spanards, when they conquered
Mexico. lie calls the country Fusang, from
the name of particular tree that grew there
and which he describes thus: THE leaves oi
the fusang, when first produced, resemble
| those of the bamboo. The inhabitants 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 fusang." OF this tree (thc ma.
gueyl Prescott says, that its bruised leaves
afforded "a paste, from which paper was made
lis Juice was manufactured into an intoxica-
ting 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
siulls were made, and strong cords were
drawn from its tough and twisted hbeIs, pms
and needles were made OF the thorns at the
extremity of its leaves; ana the root, when
properly cooked, was converted into pala'
table and nutritious food The mdguey. in
short, was meat, drink, clothing aud writing
material for the Aztec = Surely, never did
nature enclose, in SO compact form, so many
of the elements Of human comfort and civil
zation."
Again The Chinese historian states. "that
tbey had no iron but they possessed copper
They did not esteem gold aud silver" The
use of iron was unknown to them, but they
found substitute in an alloy OF copper ane
tin, with which they could cut metal ane
stones. Silver, the great staple OF theiI
country at the time OF The conquest maI
+ have, a thousand years earlier, been unnotice'
or uncoveted by them.
BY carefully examining the Chinese hstor.
and comparing with that OF Prescotts "Con
quest of Mexico" we find but few points Q
difference. In their treatment OF criminals
habits Of the judges, religion, and in man.
other respects, they agree with each other 81
well. that no doubts need be entertained, il
, the least, regarding the authenticity OF tn
Chinese accounts.-The religion Of Aztec
was in most respecte like Buddhism. Tbei