The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-09
1000 YEARS. BEFORE COLUMBUS.
The Tradition of the Chinese Voyages to
Mexico and Alaska.

There is a man in San Francisco, says
the New York Sur, who would strip not
only Columbus but even Lief, the Norge
gian. OF his honors as the first and only
original discOverer Of the American con-
tinent. He believes that he has indisputa-
bic proofs that Chinese monks. inspired by
missionary zeal, visited, cOlonized and
attempted TO civilze the western coast Ct
America "A thousand years or more be-
fore Columbus ever dreamed that he
might sail the round world round.
This is the Rev. Frederick J. Masters,
superintendent of Chinese Missions Of
the Pacific 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 Chi
nese language and literature. until he is
almost as familiar with them as he is
with the English. Among the first things
I'm 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 up
on 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.
Inc OullltSt SlbISs says MT. NdSNttSt
lis that about 1,i00 years agO-possbly a
little more-a party Of Chinese buddhist
monks. fired by missionary zeal set out
to spread their religion in other lands.
This happened at a period. as is shown
by the history Of the time. when unusual
enthusiasm prevailed over the Buddhist
religion throughout China. This party Of
monks-there were five OF them-sailed
toward the rising sun, and the description
Of their trips across the Pacific is definite
enough to enable one 10 trace their routes
across the ocean. They found a CONT
nent, and one at least of them Lay
Sang by name stayed in that new coun-
try forty years. and then returned to his
native land. and wrote such a descrip-
tion of that far-away cline, its people
and their customs, as plainly shows that
it was Mexico he had visited.
Several trips across the ocean must
have been made. and on one Of these their
vessels must have sailed further north.
The traditions of their visit still remains
among the Alaskan Indians. and Chinese
coins bearing date previous 10 the time
when these voyages were made have
been unearthed upon Alaskan shores.
ct is 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 similar
ity in appearance. language and customs
to the people of that country that II
cannot be dismissed as accidental. Take
a Chnaman who has worked several
years under the burning sun OF the in
terror plains. let his hair grow down
around his neck. and wrap a blanket
round him. and ii Is impossible TO select
him from q group of native Indians.
His features and stature are nearly the
same, and a summer or two under the
hot sun will make his complexion identi-
cal. In native stocsm their tempera-
ments are much alike, and there is much
similarity between the Chinese language
and the tongue OF the Digger Indian.
The Indian marriage customs. their
method Of calculation and certain phases
of their religion bear Chinese marks.
as If a stronger civilization had attempted
TO impress itself upon a 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 civi,za-
lions show unmistakable proofs OF Mon
golian communication. There is so much
in their architecture. their language,
and their customs-as far as Il Is posi-
BILE 10 determine what these were-that
is closely similar TO the Chinese that no
other hypothesis than this Of Chinese
colonization of this coast will explain it,"