The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-22
WELSH INDIANS.
The Singular Story of One Who Was
Taken Prisoner by Them on Red
River 100 Years Ago.

In Stewards "Washington Almanac .
for the Year of Our Lord 1s09," is the !,
following singular story, being the .
" Narrative of Adventures of Capt, ,
Isaac Stewart, taken from his own mouth, ;
in March, 1872"
I was taken prisoner about fifteen
miles to the westward of Fort Pitt,
about eighteen years ago, by the Indians,
and was carried by them to the Wabash,
with many more white men, who were
executed with circumstances of hor-
rid barbarity; it was my good fortune to
call forth the sympathy of Rose, called
the good woman of the town, who was
by giving as my ransom horse.
After remaining two years in bondage
amongst the Indians, Spanlard came
to the Nation, having been sent from,
Mexico on discoveries He made appli-
cation to the chief for redeeming me
and another white man in like situa-
ton, a native of Wales, named John
Davey; which they complied with, and
we took our departure, in company with
the Spaniard and travelled to the west
ward, crossing the Mississippi, near La
Riviere Rouge, or Red river, up which |
we travelled 700 miles, when we came to
a nation of Indians remarkably white,
and whose hair was of a reddish color,
at least mostly SO; they lived on the
banks of a small river that empties it
self into the Red river, which is called
the River Post. In the morning of the
day after our arrival amongst these In
dians the Welshman informed me that
he was determined to remain with them,
giving as a reason that he understood
their language, it being very little diff
ferent from the Welsh. My cursosity
was excited very much by this informa-
ton, and | went with my companion to
the chief men of the town, who inform
ed me, in a language had no knowledge
of, and which had no affinity to that of
any other Indian tongue I ever heard,
that their forefathers of this nation
came from foreign country, and land
ed on the east side of the Mississippi,
describing particularly the country now
called West Florida, and that on the
Spaniards taking possession of Mexico
they fled to their then abode; and as
proof of the truth of what he advanced
; he brought forth rolls of parchment,
which were carefully tied up in otter
skins, on which were large characters
written with blue ink; the characters 1
did not understand, and the Welshman
being unacauainted with letters, even
of his own language, l was not able to
know the meaning of the writing. They
are bold, hardy, intrepid people, very
warlike, and the women beautiful when
compared with other Indians.
We left this nation, after being kindly
treated and requested to remain amongst
, them, being only two in number, the
Spaniard and myself, and We continued
our course up the waters of the Red
River, till We came to nation of Ind
, ians called Windots, that had never
seen white man before, and who were
, unacquainted with the use of firearms.
On our way we came to transparent
, stream which, to our great surprise, we
n found to descend into the earth; and, at
the foot of ridge of mountains, disap-
: peared; it was remarkably clear, and
near it we found the bones of two an
imals of such size that man might walk
f under the ribs, and the teeth were very
t heavy.
The nations of Indians who had never
u seen white man lived near the source
of the Red river, and there the Span
lard discovered, to his great joy, golt
IT dust in the brooks and rivulets; and be
ing informed that nation lived farthe
y west who were very rich and whose ar
rows were pointed with gold, we set ou
sr in hope of reaching their country, ant
y travelled about 500 miles, till we cam
t, to a ridge of mountains, which we cross
n, ed, and from which the streams run du
at west, and at the foot of the mountain
It. the Spaniard gave proofs of joy an
s, great satisfaction, having found gold il
n great abundance. I was not acquainte
v, with the nature of the ore, but I LITE
is up what he called gold dust from tn
bottom of the little rivulets issuing fror
he the cavities of the rocks, and it had
ed yellow cast, and was remarkably heavy
but so much was the Spaniard satisfe
he relinquished his plan of prosecutin
his journey, being perfectly convince
that he had found country full {
gold.
Ir- On our return he took diferer
", route, and, when he reached the Missi
ge sippi we went in canoe to the mouth
If the Missouri, where we found Spar
as ish post; there was discharged by ii
ot Spaniard, went to the country of II
er Cherokees, and soon reached Ninety .si
-se in South Carolina.