The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-01-16
THE WELSH

THE WELSH O1SCOveH8.
Revival Of interest In the Similarity
Of the WeIshmen and the Mandan
Indians once In this Vicinity.
New York Sun: Suppose, after I'LL
that Columbus wasn't really the origi-
nal discoverer, nor Lief Ericsson.
either. Suppose that, as q long list Of
eminently respectable people have be-
lieved, Columbus and his spaniards
and Ericsson and his Norsemen were
forestalled by Prince Madoc Of Wales.
Suppose that the Prince, away back
in ITO, really did discover and colon
lie America, but didn't go back to tell
it; and suppose that there n to-day
living descendants of his followers
among the Indians Of North Dakota-
shouldn't Madoc have a monument?
A patriotic Welshman who has been
looking up the old legend and the
evidence in support Of It makes the
suggestion for the benefit of the st.
David's society. The Welsh In this
country are numerous and enterpris-
ing, and the st. Louis Fair. with its
fine exhibit Of Indian relics, win
bring many Of them to n place, and
with them many specialists IN Indian
lore; and the patriotic welshman
thinks they might talk the thing over
and see II there isn't q chance for q
Welsh monument.
Left Ericsson has one, as everybody
who has walked up Commonwealth
avenue in Boston knows. Why not
give the Welsh story a chance.
southey found poetic inspiration in
1t. and some Of the historians Of Queen
Elizabeth's time. probably because
they hadn't over much love for Colum-
bus and Spain, accepted It a. . fact
In the time Of the British colonies here
later what seemed to be true accounts
Of an Indian tribe that spoke Welsh
and possessed Welsh relics accumu.
lated.
A systematic Investigation Of these
stories was under consideration. Then
there came the Revolution, and there
were more serious things to do.
After the Revolution had succeeded,
it was declared that the Welsh Indians
had moved into the Spanish territory
beyond the Mississippi. George Cat
lin, the Indian authority and painter
Of Indian subjects, was sure he had
discovered them there In the Mandans,
in whom he identified the descendants
Of the lost Welshmen, to his own salts
faction, at least.
Other Investigators might have fol-
lowed in his footsteps and proved him
either wrong or right, but in the win
ter Of 1889 an epidemic of smallpox
swept through the tribe and Of the
1000 or more persons in It, left only
about 81, most Of them women who
fed from the pestilence and were cap
tured by the Sioux and other tribes
with whom they intermarried. Be-
tween two hundred and three hundred
of their DESCENDANTS now live on the
Fort Berthold reservation In North
Dakota.
This legend of Prince Madoc and the
Welsh Indians has had q hard struggle
but have thrived surprisingly in spite
Of the wfping out Of the Mandans, and
the fact that, as the story goes, the
Welsh records proving its truth we're
burned long ago. What remains Of Il
is to this effect:
Madoc was the son Of Owen owy
nedd. one Of the greatest Of the Welsh
kings. Owen reigned from 1887 t
1859, and his capital was Abergraw
He had sixteen sons besides Madoc
and the eldest, Huell, succeeded hin
on the throne.
But while Huell was visiting ireland
David, another son, seized the thron,
and began TO seize and imprison BIZ
brothers. Madoc, though, was Il
charge Of the feet and couldn't be 60
at.
Madoc took advantage Of the oppor
tunity to start on . voyage Of discov
cry westward. He sailed on for man,
days over the broad Atlantic and q
last landed on . broad continent Q
Great fertility. The general supposi
tion Is that no reached Florida, 70
lster the s~paniards heard there Of
preyious landing By IN expedition q
!, white, men.