The morning call., 1893-09-08
DID THE CHINESE DISCOVER
AMERICA?

The story OF Chinese discovery of this
continent antedating the Morse settle
ment is now for the first time being in
vestieated by students, who profess to be
guided by the recognized rules of evidence.
Most histories of this country refer to
Chinese legends of settlements made on
this coast before the Christian era. but
when the legends are tested they are
found deficient in credibility. The utmost
that can be said OF them is that they NAV
be founded on fact. Ever since the earth
assumed Its present shape the Japanese
black current flowed. as it does now, from
the Island of Niphon to the American
coast; so that a junk starting from the
mouth of the Yang-tse or the Peiho
would drift to America. This fact, taken
in conjunction with the analogies OF type
and institutions between the Chinese and
some of the early nations of South and
Central America, has supplied plausible
foundation for stories of prehistoric dis
covery, which rest on no written or HERO
giyphic testimony. Modern writers in
Peru say that the laws of the Incas were
either drawn by Cinnamon or were bor-
rowed at second hand from Chinese codes,
and that the manners, arts and institutions
of China and Peru show too many traits
of resemb bance TO be the fruit of chance.
Couple this with the undoubted fact of
the current, and we have basis for ine
hypothesis of Chinese discovery.
Mr.. K. Seymour Long has now In vesti-
gated Chinese record Of American dis
covery not as ancient ss the Christian era,
but in the fifth and sixth centuries, that is
to say, 400 or 800 years before the Morse
settlement. and some 200 or 300 years be-
fore the Toltec invasion of Mexico. ana
the construction of the temples of Pa
lenque. The Chinese Columbus was
Buddhist priest named Hoei-Shin, who
came TO this country. by way of Alaska, at
the close of the fifth century. Hoei-Shin
says that he found country called Fusang
which was mt Cnarchy with King, Lords
and Commons; that the people lived in
wooden houses, had no iron, but plenty of
silver and gold, which they valued lightly;
and that they used horses and other beasts
of burden. Having made these observa-
tions HOe-Shin returned home and made
renort which was entered on the official
records of the empire. Two questions
arise First, did Hoei-Shin make any such
report. and If so, VIII" has seen it and where
is it kept on record ? Secondly, did he see
the things he says he saw, or was he akin
to the Arabian story-tellers who chroni-
cled the story OF Sinbad, the sailor, and
Aladdin? 1t might be worth while to in
struet our Minister to China to find out
what the Chinese archives contain regard
ing a prehistoric Mongolian discovery of
this continent.
Geology tells US that the oldest dry land
in fha r.
Canada. and that the most ancient forms
of lie appeared in the valley of the St.
Lawrence. But on this side of the con-
tnent, everything is new. The Toltecs
invaded Mexico just before the crusades:
the Cen raj American temples which were
once supposed to be coeval with the pyra-
mlds are now known TO have been built
about the time of Charlemagne; the Az
tees raised their teocallis while the Moors
were building mosques at C0rdova and
Granada. WHAT was happening on this
side of the continent during the long Pc
riod between Moses and the close of the
middle ages. we have not the faintest idea.
The more closely arci geology is studied.
the less is left of the theories that there
Was on this side of the Rocky Mountains
An ancient life, such as existed in Europe
and Asia before the dawn of modern civil
iZation. Nature has left its mark in up
tilted strata, dry arroyos. chaotic noun
tain growth, saline lake. volcanic tufa,
waterless desert; but there is no record
anywhere of the haDdwork of man dur
ing the countless ages which succeeded the
tertiary. Tested by the rules of science,
the Indian remains found between Cape
st. Lucas and Cape Flattery all betray
comparatively modern origin. Yet if the
country was fit for human habiiation,
m.-nkind must have been present, whether
he belonged to the Mongolian. or the
Malayan, or the PolynesiaD, or the Arian
stock. He seems to have lived and died
like the vegetables, leaving no trace be-
hind except the mold into which his body
resolved itself after death.