Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-12-22
3 White INdlaMs.


and the Mandans. across Dakota. And
this reminds us what strange peo-
pie these Mandans are.
They were a hundred years ago
called "Whitc Indians" and were be-
lieved by many American anliquari-
ans to have descended from the
Welsh co,onists under Prince Madoc,
who is supposed to Lave landed on
the Florida coast as early as ITO.
These Welsh seem to have been
scattered. The Indians of North
Carolina were said, at the time OF the
Revolution. to peak language re-
scmbiing the Welsh.
We have the story OF Rev. Nor
gan Jones that the Tiscaroras under
stood his preaching in the British
tongue about 1860, and there is the
statement OF Oliver Humphreys re-
specting natives in Florida who spoke
Welsh and had Welsh features and
complexion. Benjamin Sutlo on, a cap
tiycia E76, stated that he had been
with the Choc.aws TO an Indian
town, some distance above New Or
leans, whose inhabitants were of
lighter complexion than the other In-
dams, and who spoke Welsh, and
that they had a book among them
wrapt in skins, but could not read it
and that some Of them spoke Welsh
with one Lewis, captive Welsh
! man. t -s-as.=s
The remarkable account given by
Captain Isaac Stuart, in 1872, is sub
s,antially as follows: Eighteen year,
before, he Was taken prisoner by the
Indians and carried to the Wabash
After two years of bondage, he and
awe elsh fellow captive, named John
David. were redeemed oy Spaniard
and a, GO npanying him to the Red
river. travelled up that river sever
hundred miles, when they came to Q
nat on of Indians Remarkably white
with hair of reddish COLOR The
day after their arrival, the Welsh
man, David, declared his intention o.
remaining with the people, as he an
derstood their Language. Stuart's curl
osity being excited, che questioned
their chiefs, and learned from them
that their forctathcrs3 came from {
foreign country and landed beyond
the Mississippi, the chiefs minutely
describing the appearance OF Florida
In proof OF their statement they ex
hibited rolls Of parchment, carefully
4 tied upsin otter skins, on which wer,
large characters in blue ink.
And III Fitson's kentucky, pub
lished before Capt. Stuart's narrative
We find the following passage: %
late years The Western settlers hav,
received frequent accounts Of na
! ton, inhabiting at great distance III
the Missouri, in manners and appear
ance resembling the other Indians
but spmking Weish, and retaining SOM
ceremonies of the Christian worship
and at length this IS believed to be
fact. Captain Abraham Chaplain, 9
Kentucky. gentleman whose verac
/ ity may be ientirSly depended on, as
4 sured the author that in the late war
/ being with his company in galrisol
at Kaskaskia, some Indians cam
there speaking the Welsh dialect
were perfectly understood, and con
versea with two Welshmen IN hi
company. .# Z
a,Charlevu;x SAYS that in 1880 som
Indians, whom he calls Aiouaz (possl
bly, the Iowasl iniormed him tina
"the 'Omans, the three days journc,
from them, had ,chts ssias and .fa'
Adir, especially the women" Carve
also J, heard OF nation about th
heads ot the Missouri. srather snalle
and whittier than the asighhosin
tribes" This testimony, and muc
more to the saine import, might b
quoted, agrees with Mr.. Catlin's &C
count Of the Mandans-a pcopl
whom Schooicrah describes as hay