The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-09
1000 YEARS BEFORE COLUMBUS.
The Tradition of the Chinese Voyages
to n exico and Alaska.
From the NeU York Sun.


SAN Francisco, Feb. 26.-There is a
man in this city who would strip not only
Columbus, but even Lief, the Norwegian,
Of his honors as the first and only original
discoverer Of the American continent. He
believes that he has indisputable proof that
Chinese monks, inspired by missionary zeal,
visited, colonized and attempted to civilize
the western coast of America 900 years or
more before Columbus ever dreamed that
he might sail the round world round.
This is the Rev. Frederick J. Masters, su-
perintendent OF Chinese missions of the Pa
ciflc coast who has spent seventeen years
nine in CHINA and eight in this country-in
active missionary work among the Chinese.
During all that time he has given constant
study TO the Chinese language and litera-
ture, until he ia almost as familiar with
them as he is with the English. Among the
first things in the Chinese literature that
interested him was the tradition of their
discovery OF America. and he has studied
everything he could find in that tongue
bearing upon the subject, comparing with
their statements the collateral proofs to be
found in this country. The result is that
he is thoroughly convinced of the truth OF
the Chinese claim.
The Chinese story" says Mr.. Masters,
lis that about l, 400 years agO-poss bly, q
little more-a party Of Chinese Buddhist
monks, fired by missionary zeal, set out to
spread their religion in other lands. This
happened at q period, as is shown by the
history Il tie time, when unusual enthusi-
asm prevailed over the Buddhist region
throughout China. This party of monks
there were Eve Of them-sRiled toward the
rising sun, aud the description Of their trips
across the Pacific is definite enough to en-
able one to trace their routes across the
ocean. They found a continent, aud one,
at least, OF them, Lay Sang by name, stayed
in that new country forty years, and then
returned to bis native land and wrote such
description OF that far-away Cline its
people, and their customs, as plainly shows
that it was Mexico be had visited.
Several trips across the ocean must have
been made. and on one of these their vessels
must have sailed farther north. The tradi-
ton of their visit still remains among the
Alaskan Indians, aud Chinese coins bearing
dale previous TO the time when these voyages
were made have been unearthed upon
Alaskan shores.
ut 10 my opinion that a good many
Chinese must have made their way to these
shores, for the Indian tribes of this western
coast show so much similarity in appear
ance, language and customs to the people
OF that country that il cannot be dismissed
as accidental. Take Chinaman who has
worked several years under the burning sun
OF the interior plains, let his hair grow
down around his neck and wrap blanket
round him, and it is impossible TO select him
from q group of native Indians His feat
ures and stature are nearly the same and
summer or two under the hot sun will
make his complexion identical. In
native stoicism their temperRments are
much alike. and there is much similarity
between the Chinese language and the
tongue Of the Digger Indian. The India n
marriage customs, their method of calcula-
ton, and certain phases of their religion
bear Chinese marks, as il stronger civil
ization had attempted to impress itself upon
tribe weaker physically and intellectually.
but had only left traces OF itself, because
its Representatives had been comparatively
few in number.
Then the Aztec and Toltec civilizations
show unmistakable proofs of Monaghan
communication. There is so much in their
architecture. their language, and their ous-
toms-as far as it is possible to deter
mine what these were-that is closely SINH
lar to the Chinese that no other hypothesis
than this Of Chinese colonization of this
coast will explain it.H