Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-02
THE RUNIC INSCRIPTION.
Nav Than

The following letter is from the pen of q dis.
tinguished lawyer OF Ohio, who Is evidently a
believer in the H Hvidserk Runic inscription. 1t
is curious and interesting, and we publish il
on that account though everyb body hereabouts
understands that the runlc inscription is the
biggest sell Of the century. The letter bears
date July Is, 1867:
"DEAR -: have read and reread the ex.
traordinary article, America Discovered by
the lrish,n and admitting my hybrid origin
from the Dutch. the German, and the H,
ef Scotland or Wales. l do not feel that am
originally received or ought now to bear
Whether 1t shall In the future be known, ar.
cnBologically,' as Huitramennaland, Vim.
land, or Great Ireland, Is not so great matter
with me as the substantive truth concerning
the " Hvids Rrk' inscription. / leave to the
learned philologist, and those skilled in the
Iere OF antiquity, the inscription ITSELF and will
merely suggest in passing tina. rival or runic
scholars may perhaps, with small liberties OF
invention, give us not oaly an important but
deoatabie question. will venture to say thus
the hieroglvphcal readings and renderines of
the panegyrical year of Egypt among savans,
such as Wilkin SON, Poole and Cardinal Bun.
zen, is likely to be renewed, but in a very diff
ferent held, and one that much more con.
Germs Us.
The name Of Langley, and date 1855, found
engraved on the Arrowhead Rock and IN semi.
connection with the inscription, calls to mind
some reflections connected W ith that date At
that very time the literati OF Europe were as
siduously exploring the common stem OF the
Erse, Gothic, Scotch, and Irish languages, as
well as the chronology and actual existence
OF celebrated bard. Mcpherson is respec.
tably charged by Hume and other celebrities
with manufacturing the real or pretended
trivial contest, ana the pro and con "McPher.
sons Ossian" are so numerous, that leave il
with the literary belligerents, and ad nire the
bard, whether he was the son Of Scotsman
H1hornfan
Europe were busy in finding some evidence Of
tne true country OF FlnEal, the other portion
WEI, were as as Industrious in finding props to sup
respectable portion OF Ireland in Mikla
tAmerica] the right TO which was about to be
settled by the sword. This very year 1855,
two regiments Of soldiers to contest the claim
Of France to the country founded on prior dis.
coVery and occupation. The claim Of each
party was very nearly the same. Braddock's
base OF operation was q fort at the mouth OF
Wills Creek, on the bank Of the Potomac. and
short distance from the Arrowhead Rock
that bears the inscription, and name Of
w. Langley: Braadock marched from Cum
berland with 1000 Scots and Irish for the re.
duction OF Du Quesne, was defeated At the
crossing of the river Monongahela, nine miles
from Plttsburg, lost about GOO Of his men, and
retreated to Fort Necessity, in Fayette county
Pa, where he died. His army thence went to
Cumberland. Here we have the Scots and the
irish again with one Judgment OF sword ad.
rock was chiseled then, but if the Langley
date be the true one, then it is not impossible
but some Christian Celt may have from amuse-
ment, ruse, or other design, indited and cut
the epitaph Of Suasu. Tue whole English
army were imbued no doubt with anxieties
for some monument that would clearly sup
port their cause against France, or al least
prove that the right of France to a first uiscov
cry was not well founded And now what can
be more reasonable than W Langley was an
Irish officer, and IL disposed to play sharp AT
Ill. q VI n cn in aft, hSpr
to the glory OF his Irish cousins Against this
perhaps very idle speculation you would Oh.
pose the tact that Langley would not have
given the date 1855, and that Of Suasu s burial,
at one and the same time. concede the force
OF your objection.
am aware that the numerous circumstances
related by Professor Rafinnson are by no
means accounted for by my suggestions, and
leave broad margin for evidence going to
snow the inscription the wonder OF the age
am yours, much obliged, &C.,