The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-07-07

In this age Of active historical re-
search, the question OF the pre-Colum-
bian voyages " America is receiving
that rightfui attention which has FOR
centuries been withheld. The discovery
Of our Continent by the Mortimer in
the year 100 is now strongly establish
I'd upon the evidence Of the sagas of
Iceland; and testimony is slowly accu-
mulating in support Of the traditions
that adventurous mariners from other
countries, in their long and daring voy-
ages, happened upon the New World,
and even founded settlements ON its
shores, hundreds Of years before Column
bus sailed in the Santa Maria from the
harbor Of Palos. Among other claims
TO the discovery of the Western Henri
sphere shat Of Prince Madoc of Wales,
who fiourished in the latter part Of the
twelfth century. Very little is known
of the life of Madoc, and the evidences
of his having visited and planted a col
ony in the New World are wholly cir
cumstantial; yet they are curious and
worthy OF investigation.
His story, in brief, runs rs follows:
On the death Of Owain Gwynedd, the
Prince Of North Wales, Ia 1869, the sue
cession TO his throne was disputed
among his children. To avoid the con-
tention, which was distasteful TO bis
mild temper, Madoc, one Of G~wynedd's
sons, took to a s~eafaring life, for which
out a few ships, and, sailing to the west
ward, came 10 an unknown country,
which 50 delighted him BY It's fertility
that he left most of his men to keep
possession Of it, and returned TO Wales
TO induce Others 10 Join bis young col
ony. In his second expedition he was
accompanied by a brother and a party
sufficient to man ten ships, which set
sail from a small port five miles from
Holy head, in the Island of Anglesea.
This is the most that history records
Of the voyages of Madoc; but allusion
is SO frequently made To him, and his
discovery Of a new and pleasant land
to the westward, in the songs Of the
Welsh bards who preserved the annals
of their country, and in the writings of
later English authors, that we must ac-
knowledge some basis of truth for the
narrative.
To give further Substantially TO the
tradition Of Madoc's discovery, there
are many curious stories existing OF a
tribe of Indians formerly dwelling i'm
South Carolina and Florida, and after
ward removing west Of the Mississippi,
who were said TO have a pale complex
ion, blue eyes, red hair, arts and man.
ners superior to those Of other aboriginal
tribes, and who spoke a language so
closely resembling the Welsh that il
could beunderstood by Welshmen. The
tribe Is now extinct, and the only means
of determining the facts of their history
are an examination Of the stories pre-
served Of them, for proofs Of anthem
ITCHY, and a search among the scanty
relics of the native American races for
vestiges Of a people descended from
Prince Madoc and his followers.
The Rev. MIR. Bowen has been for
several years engaged in collecting from
books, pamphlets. and papers, al frag-
ments Of testimony extant concerning
the discovery Of America by the Welsh,
and has pieced them together into an
Ingenious ana interesting narrative. 1t
lacks no argument to produce c%onyic-
tion except positive proof. and Of this
there j. none. Whatever there is, how
ever, of history or tradition 10 found
the claim 81 the Welsh upon, Is brought
forward, and, incomplete as the mate
rials are. there is entertainment in care
fully scanning them.-Chicago Tribune.
aU