Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-10-20
By "A. L.. VAN OSDEI
[copYRIGHTRDl

L have yet seen in North America
In coming to such a conclusion my
mind is filled with a flood Of inquiries
as to the source from which they
have sprung.
Among the evidences, suggest
tbet there is incontestible proofs Of
an amalgam with a civilized race;
and that in the absence OF any re-
cent proximity Of a civilized stock
that could in any way have been en- en-
grated upon them.
I These facts which stare travelor
in the face leads the mind back in
search of some more remote and rat
ional cause for such striking singular
tiles and in this dilema have been
may not be found, yet existing, the
remains of a Welsh colony, which
sailed under the direction of Prince
Madoc, from North Wales in the early
palt of the fourt eenth century in ten
ships; (according to numerous and
accredited authors) and never re-.
tn. ned to their country. The expedi-
ton, think, has been pretty clearly
DUUS Oct 9th
traced to the coast of Florida, and its
further fate seems sealed in mystery.
1t is supposed they landed either on
the coast or about the mouth OF the.
| Mississippi; and, according to the
poetry of their country, settled some
where in the interior of North Amer
! ic
| 81 see no harm in suggesting the
inquiry whether they did not sail up
the Mississippi river in their ten ships
or such of them as might have arrived
in it's mouth; and, having advanced
lup the Ohio from its junction, Gas
they naturally would, it being the
widest and most gentle current) to
a rich. and fertile country. Planting
themselves as agricultnrists on its
lrich banks, where they lived and -four
ished until they were attacked, and at
last besieged by the numerous hords
of sayages who were jealous OF their
growing and prosperous ondition. c
And as a protection against their
assaults, built those numerous civil
lized Notifications, the ruins of which
are now to be seen on the Ohio and
Muskingum rivers; in which they
i were at last all destroyed, except,
perhaps, the families Of those who in
itermarried with the Indians, and
whose offspring being hal -breeds
were spared. 81 .ss
forming themselves into a sep,
Earate community, they took up their
residence on the banks Of the Mis-.
Isouri and continuing thir course up
the river, have in time migrated ts
1 the place where they are now living,
And consequently are found with nu,
merous peculiarities inconsistent with
the general character of the North
4 American Indians with complications
3 of every shade, and hair of all colOrs
in civilized society: and many witt
hazel, gray and blue eyes.
Their ancient Notifications, which
! aHe very numerous and inclose q
4 great many acres are built on thu
banks of rivers--with walls in some
places 20 or 80 feet in height-Witf
4 covered ways to the waters, and
q evince a knowledge of the science d
fertilization; apparently not century
4 behind that of the present day. Pre-
Iseenting to us incontestible proof o
the former existence of people Yer!
! far advanced in the arts of civiliza
i. ton, who have for some cause dis
st appeared and left these imperishablt
proofs of their former existence.
Near the Big Cheyenne river, twt
hundred miles below their last loca
ton are found old earthWorks, and a
!, as many as six other places between
there and the mouth of the Ohio, eacl
one as I visited them. appearing NOR,
ancient; convincing me thate thes'
! lhaVe gradually made their moves u
: 1.-The banks of the Missouri to the plac
!. where ! visited them.
THE derivation ofthe word Mar
J. dan, is from WEIGH word meanini
8 a species of madden used as a re-
!, dye; and these people are noted 70
! their very ingenious mode of givin
!, Ia beautiful red and other dyes t
Z their porcupine quill with which the
garnish their moccasins and dresses
In their own language the Manda
Indians called themselves See-posh-k
4 ilpeople of the peasants and are SUI
I. iposed to have come from countr
& where pheasants existed.
J Their canoes, which are altogsthe
!. different from those of other tribes
! are exactly like the Weleh coracle-
!. mode Of raWhide. underneath a fran
!. of willows and shaped neatly roun
{ like a tub. In which the Indian Sit
and propels by dipping the paddl
4 forward and drawing it back, instea
3 of padding by the side.
i "The moment ! saw this strang
j people, was convinced that the
were an amalgam with some ciVilize
/ race; and, from what have seen (
/, them, and their ancient earth work
Y on the Missouri and Ohio rivers,
4 feel fully convinced that they EN-
h grated from the latter stream, an
Ell have been preserved from the almo!
S total destruction OF the bold Welc
4 colonists who are presumed to hay
y occuied for a quarer of IA century I
il more, the fertile lands In the vale
,f of the Ohio. n
d I'm 1892, when CatIin visited til
g Mandan Indians at their villages &
III the upper Missouri, they numbers
,fI three Thousand souls. Five yea,
e later, they were stricken with Il
It dread disease, smallpox, and were q
e being decinated to less than thrt
d hundred persons.
n f nh n 4, a II xs,1;1