h, this Discovery would hardly have been attributed
to a people so little known as the Britons were at that Period.
It would have been ascribed to some more renowned and powerful
Nation.]
It is evident, from this Extract, that Dr. Campbell gave credit
to this Tradition, and assigns as a Reason, an Ode written by Sir
Meredyth ab Rhys, (containing an allusion to it) who died about
1477, during the Reign of Richard the 3d, some Years before Columbus
first sailed Westward. Hence then it clearly appears that it was
not a Story invented to dispute the discovery of America with the
Spaniards; for when this Ode was written, Europeans had no Notion
of a Western World. The Voyages of Madog were little known, but
to the Native Welsh, nor did they know whither he went. That it
was to America, was a discovery of after Ages. Had the Story been
first mentioned in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when at War with
Philip the 2d. King of Spain, it might have appeared suspicious;
but as it had been celebrated and alluded to in an Ode written 50
Years before she was born, there can, in my Opinion, be no room
for suspicion. The Bard wrote an Ode of thanks to a Friend for a
Favour, in which he alludes to a Fact, honourable to his Country
men, but then of no advantage to them, for all Intercourse between
the Countries had ceased for Hundreds of Years.
I now proceed to modern Travellers, who prove, that at present,
there are Tribes In North America descended from the Ancient Britons.
Mr. Charles Beatty, a Missionary from New York, accompanied by
a Mr. Duffield, visited some Inland parts, of North America in
the Year 1766. If I rightly understand his Journal, he travelled
about 400, or 500 Miles, to the South West of New York. During his
Tour he met with several Persons who had been among the Indians
from their Youth, or who had been taken Captives by them, and lived
with them several Years. Among others one Benjamin Sutton, who had
visited different Nations, and had lived many Years with them.
His Account, in Mr. Beatty's Words, was as follows.
"He, (Benjamin Sutton) informed us, when he was with the Chactaw
Nation, or Tribes of Indians at the Mississipi, he went to an Indian
Town a very considerable Distance from New Orleans, whose Inhabitants
were of different Complexions; not so tawny as those of the other
Indians, and who spoke Welsh. He said he saw a Book among them,
which he supposed was a Welsh Bible, which they carefully kept
wr
|