“Correspondent hereto, I have been informed that many Years ago, a Clergyman went from Britain to Virginia, and having lived some time there, went from thence to South Carolina; but either because the Climate did not agree with him, or for some other reason, resolved to return to Virginia, and accordingly set out by Land, accompanied by some other persons; but travelling thro’ the back parts of the Country which was very thinly inhabited, supposing, very probably, this was the nearest Way, he fell in with a party of Indian Warriors going to attack the Inhabitants of Virginia, against whom they had declared War.

“The Indians upon examining the Clergyman, and finding that he was going to Virginia, looked upon him, and his Companions as belonging to Virginia, and therefore took them all Prisoners, and let them know they must die.  The Clergyman in preparation for another World went to prayer, and being a Welsh-man, prayed in the Welsh Language, possibly because this Language was most familiar to him, or to prevent the Indians understanding him.  One or more of the party of the Indians, was much surprised to hear him pray in their Language.  Upon this they spoke to him, and finding that he could understand their speech, they got the Sentance of Death reversed; and this happy Circumstance was the means of saving his Life.

“They took him back with them into their Country where he found a Tribe, whore Native Language was Welsh, though the Dialect was a little different from his own, which he soon came to understand.  They shewed him a Book, which he found to be the Bible, but which they could not read; and if I mistake not, his ability to read it tended to raise their regard for him.[gg]

[Footnote gg:  Mr. Jones in his Narrative does not mention a Book, but that he conversed familiarly with, and preached to these Indians in Welsh.  It appears from hence that Mr. Beatty had not seen Mr. Jones’s Narrative.  It were to be wished that this Book, or a Copy of it, could be procured.]

“He stayed among them some time and endeavoured to instruct them in the Christian Religion.  He at length proposed to go back to his own Country, and return to them with some other Teachers, who would be able to instruct them in their own Language; to which proposal they consenting, he accordingly set out from thence, and arrived in Britain, with full intention to return to them with some of his Country-men in order to teach these Indians Christianity.  But I was acquainted that not long after his arrival he was taken sick, and died, which put an end to his schemes.[hh]

[Footnote hh:  Mr. Jones says that he was taken Prisoner by the Indians in 1660, and continued with them 4 months.  His Narrative is dated 1685-6, and he then lived at New York, or within 12 Miles of it.  It is not at an likely therefore that he returned to Britain, and died here.  See pages, 16, 17, and 26.]