386 TRAVELS through 



" one continent with, or are only at a little di- 

 " ftance from America^ if the itreights that are 

 " fuppofed to be there go to the Tatarian fea : 

 *' the ocean which furrounds America almoft en- 

 '' tirely, is ftrewed with iQes, both in the nor- 

 " them and fouthern Teas. Men may have gone 

 " from ifle to iHe, either by fliipwreck or by 

 ** mere chance." 



This author alledges many reafons to prove, 

 that North America joins to T'artary^ or to fomc 

 country contiguous to it •, the following is a very 

 fingular one : You know that ginjaig is original- 

 ly a native of the Mantchcoux si'artary^ the Chinefe 

 or Tartarian name of it fignines, the tkigks of a 

 rrian. The Americans^ w^ho were long acquaint- 

 ed with it, and made ufe of it, called it gar el- 

 cguen^ which has the fame figniiication. Ifyf- 

 merica did not join to l!artar\\ or if the latter 

 had not peopled the firil, how could' their re- 

 fpective inhabitants give names of the fame fig- 

 nincation to the fame plant ? I do not fpeak 

 here of etymologies of words that have been 

 corrupted, and which are only found by forcing 

 them •, their figniiication is here in queftion. 



' Captain William Rogers looks upon it as very 

 probable, that fome Tartirians paflcd over into 



America : 



