SUPPOSED WELCH INDIANS. » (#89 



I cannot, I rouft confefs, adopt this opinion. I readily allow, Traditional »c* 

 that the relations publifned by Mr. Toulmin and many other JJ^^jjjJ^J 

 perfons, both in Europe and in America, are extremely curious. foppofed to have 

 But thefe relations are very incontinent with one another, ™* inated froni 

 particularly in what relates to the a&ual flate of improvement 

 of the fuppofed vYeHbmen. By Tome we are told they are 

 very tar advanced in improvement; by others that their im- 

 provement is not at all greater than that of the Red-men or 

 Indians of America. At one time, they are faid to be in pof- 

 feffion of manutcripts (and even printed books) at another time 

 nothing of this kind is found among them. It muli be con> 

 fefled that Maurice Griffith's relation is, in feveral refpe&s, 

 more plaufihie than that of any preceding traveller; but it is 

 not unincumbered with inconfiftencies, which I do not deem 

 it neceflary to notice in this place. His aflfertion " that the white 

 men of the Miflouri fpeak pure Welch," even though this afler- 

 tion be qualified by the obfervation that "they occafionally make 

 ufe of a few words with which he was not acquainted," is 40 

 me one of the moit improbable things that have ever been 

 related of thefe people. His iilence about their religion Is 

 altogether inexcusable. One would (uppofe that a perfon of 

 Griffith's inquifitive turn of mind, would hardly have omitted 

 to make fome inquiries refpecling the religious inflitutions of 4 

 people, whom he eonfidered as his countrymen. If thefe 

 people be the- descendants of Madog, fomt traces of the Cbrif- 

 tian religion may be expected to be difcerned among them ; 

 for I think it requires many centuries to entirely efface from 

 the memory of a people all veftiges of their religion, efpecially 

 from a people fo tenacious of their language, and fo little dif- 

 poted to intermix with their neighbours, as the Welch Indians 

 are reprefented to be. 



But Griffith's relation is, I think, worthy of fome attention, 

 I even think it not altogether improbable that future researches 

 will eftabldh the fact, that there does exift in the weftern part,* 

 of North America a race or nation of men, whofe complexion 

 is much faiier than that of the furrounding tribes of Indians, 

 and who fpeak a language abounding in Welch or^ Celtic 

 words. But the complete eftablimment of thefe two points 

 would not prove the eftablimment of the truth of the affertion, 

 that prince Madog had ever made a voyage to America, or 



that 



