The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-03-27

among the Indians OF the Isthmus Of Da-
rien, which go TO confirm Professor RAIN
that there were races Of people in the
country besides tho Indians, who were
unlike them in language, dress and man
ners. Wafer says that there was won
derful affinity between the spoken Ian
guage of the people of Darien and that
of the Highlands Of Scotland. He says: ::
"In my youth was well acquainted
with the Highland or primitive Irish
language, particularly at Navan, upon
the Boyne, and about the town Of Vir-
gini upon Loch Hammer, in the country
of Cavan, and / learned a great deal Of
the,Darien language in a months conver-
sation with them"-the Indians. 1t
might be productive of good results to
compare the ancient religion of the Mex
leans with that Of the Druids. The
question presents itself, "Were the Irish
fond of travel in those early days, and
had they sufficient knowledge of navi-
gation2" The anBwer will be found in
tho fact that our civilization dawned
far in advance Of inc reJt Of Europe, and
Beamish's book gives ample proof that
Ireland was foremost ut a very early Pc
riod in colonizinI distant countries, and
had sufficient means Of shipping her in
tellectual superiority to every people in
the world except the Saraccns. She was
conspicuous in those early times, and her
learning furnished storehouse from
whence the people Of Europe drew their
supply. Sixty years previous to the
discovery Of ireland by the Northmen in
the ninth century, Irish emigrants had
visited and inhabited that island and
about the year 725 Irish Ecclesiastics
tf nj. ILL.,.
All these proofs and traditions prsents a
reasonable theory that the Irish had set
tied the Southern portion of America
and introduced civilization of which
we have traces to-day, hundred Of yeara
before the era of Spanish discovery.
"From what cause" argues Mr.. Bcamish
could the name OF Great Ireland have
arisen, but from the fact of the country
having been colonized by the Irish 7'
and having visited Ic land and the
Faroes in the seventh and eighth
centuries, it is as little IMPROBABLE that
they should have taken longer voyages.
1t may seem an impertinence for
people who never lift their voices but
in whine TO speak Of past glories, and
particularly as we find nothing in Irish
history beyond nero tradition OF this
Great Ireland, that we have to go to the
stranger again. 1t is doubtful oven if
many Irish scholars in America or Ire
land have read those works Of Beamish
and Rain.
When we even join against n common
enemy nowadays we quarrel among our
sc!-cs So &c modes of action. GiTo up
or unite. Don't continually give an ex-
cuse for the finger Of scorn to be pointed
Mt us by our natural enemies. There s
ono unpublished Irish manuscript on the
discovery of America by the Irish in
Paris, and there may be many in Trinity
College. They should be sought out
and translated. What n glorious thing
it would be for Ireland to give America
her history in connection with the many
other good things she has given her.
1t is well-known that Columbus not
only visited Iceland, but Ireland as well,
previous to his voyage hither, and was
assisted in his researches and travels by
gentleman named Patrick Mcguire,
who was also the first man in his expe-
dition who set foot on American soil.
This is recorded in publication by an
Italian priest, named Thornitori, in the
seventeenth century. The boats having
been launched on nearing tia shore, the
bay became shallow. Pat. ,lmped out,
waded ashore. and thus helped to tighten
the boat. The roster of the ships crew
is in the archives at Madrid, and it
shows several Irish names, but Paddy
Mcguire was the first man VINO touched
American soil. Truly, history repeats
itself.-FTom the Celtic. Monthly.