The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15
New Mexico's White Indians.


For more than a hundred years the
question whether there existed in Amer
lea a tribe of white Indians has been
agitated, and more or less positive
statements from learned men can be
quoted on both sides. That the legend
of a white race had basis in fact is
proved by six individuals. still living in
the Pueblo of Zuni, New Mexico. Their
existence, however, is known to very
few, and even Of those who have Wis
tied the village not many have seen the
white Indians, for as a rule they keep
themselves out of sight The history
of the legend is interesting.
From the earliest times more or less
definite rumors about white Indians
have been current In 1871 the Rev. Dr.
John Williams published a. treatise on
the subject, which is now very rare, al
though the impetus which he gave the
inquiry still survives. The purpose of
the publication was to start subscrip-
ton fund, to be devoted to the explOra
beyond the Ohio river" where the
author was sure the long-sought white
men would be found. In his own mind
there was not the slightest doubt that
these whites were descendants of Prince
Madoc of Wales, who, according to the
old Welsh legend left his native cOun-
try soon after ITO "A. D., on account
of family discussions, and sailed out
to the west, leaving Ireland on his right
hand. 7G
According to the ancient bards, Prince
Madoc returned in the course of time
with glowing accounts of a new coun-
try he had discovered, and gathering
his adherents about him he set sail
again for the far west, to the land which
he had found, and was never after
ward heard of. DR. Williams commended
that the white Indians were the de-
scendants of these twelfth century
Welshmen, and whatever may be
thought of his conclusion his argument
was certainly worth consideration He
1fr7er
Indians then current, coming from va
rious parts of the American continent,
particularly the account OF man
named Rimington, native of England,
who had met the white Indians at
grand trading meeting, or Indian fair,
at the forks of the Ohio. He was told
that they came from a remote district,
west of the Mississippi R1mington's
companion, a WelShman, claims to have
spoken to these Indians in his own Ian
yuage. 1t was said also that these In
dams had book, which they venerated
highly, but were unable to read
More than sixty years later, when the
Pacific railroad surveys across the con-
tinent were made, the story cropped out
in another form, but the white Indians
were definitely located at the Pueblo OF
Zuni. In the reports of that survey.
published in 1856, description of one OF
these Indians is given, together with a
list of words, which were said to De
practically synonymous IN the Aunl n anu an
presence of white members OF the tr1pe
was attempted. About 1877 j. H. Beadie,
a newspaper correspondent, visited Zunl-
He mentions a book which these Indians
had and which they regarded with
great reverence, although they could not
read it.
There can be no doubt that the white
Indians at Zuni are albinos- There are
four others at the MOki villages ana
several scattered among the other Pu-
eblos In dress, manners, customs, lang
mage thew are like their fellows but
their complexion is very fair: they are,
indeed, much whittier than the average
white man who has lived much IN the
open air. Their hair is a tawny yellow,
ICES the Indian. Their eyes are so weak
that they have to keep them closed IN
the sunlight This is due, doubtless, TO
the absence of coloring matter In the
iris. AS the skin lacks that protection
also these people suffer very much from
sunburn. where the regular Indian is
almost as immune as negro Tneir
eyelids and lips are always sore, ana II
is probably on account of their dread OF
the sunlight that so lew travellers nave
seen Them
To those who have seen these curious
freaks they give the impression at nrsl
that they are Irishmen dressed as IN
dams, for their faces have decidedly
Celtic cast The only way, however, IN
which they differ from other members
of the tribe is in the absence OF coloring
matter in the skin and hair. The cause
of this albinoism has not been deter
mined; it may be due TO close inter-
marriage within the family, an 1neV1Ia-
BILE result of the social system OF the
Pueblos, and their organization under
the clan or gems system