On the supposed Welch-Indians. 79 



XIV. Observations and Conjectures relative to the sup- 

 posed Welch- Indians •, in the western parts of North- 

 America. Republished from the " Kentucky Palla- 

 dium.'''' With additional Remarks and Conjectures, 

 by the Editor. 



Sir, 



NO circumstance relating to the history of the 

 Western-country, probably, has excited, at different 

 times, more general attention and anxious curiosity, 

 than the opinion, that a nation of white men, speak- 

 ing the Welch language, reside high up on the Mis- 

 souri. By some, the idea is treated as nothing but 

 the suggestion of bold imposture, and easy credulity ; 

 whilst others regard it as a fact, fully authenticated 

 by Indian testimony, and the report of various travel- 

 lers, worthy of credit. 



The fact is accounted for, they say, by recurring 

 to a passage in the history of Great-Britain, which re- 

 lates, that several years before the discovery of Ame- 

 rica, by Christopher Columbus, a certain Welch 

 prince embarked from his native country, with a large 

 party of emigrants ; that, after some time, a vessel 

 or two came back with the account, that they had 

 discovered a country far to the westward, and that 

 they set sail again with a fresh reinforcement, and 

 never returned any more. 



The country which these adventurers discovered, 

 it has been supposed, was the continent of North- 



