“I was taken Prisoner about 50 Miles to the West-ward of Fort Pitt, about 18 Years ago by the Indians, and was carried by them to the Wabash with many more White Men who were executed with Circumstances of horrid Barbarity.  It was my good Fortune to call forth the Sympathy of what is called the good Woman of the Town, who was permitted to redeem me from the Flames, by giving, as my Ransom, a Horse.

“After remaining two Years in Bondage among the Indians, a Spaniard came to the Nation, having been sent from Mexico on Discoveries.  He made Application to the Chiefs for redeeming me and another White Men, who was in a like Situation, named John Davey (David) which they complied with.  And we took our Departure in Company with the Spaniard to the Westward, crossing the Mississipi near Rouge or Red River, up which we travelled 700 Miles, when we came to a Nation of Indians remarkably White, and whose Hair was of a reddish Colour, at least, mostly so.  They lived on the Banks of a Small River which is called the River Post.  In the Morning of the Day after our Arrival, the Welsh Man informed me that he was determined remain with them, giving us a Reason, that he understood their Language, it being very little different from the Welsh.  My Curiosity was excited very much by this Information, and I went with my Companion to the Chief Men of the Town, who informed him in a Language that I had no knowledge of, and which had no affinity to that of other Indian Tongues that I ever heard, that their Fore Fathers of this Nation came from a Foreign Country, and landed on the East Side of the Mississipi, describing particularly the Country now called Florida, and that on the Spaniards taking possession of Mexico, they fled to their then Abode.  And as a proof of the Truth of what he advanced, he brought forth Rolls of Parchment, which were carefully tied up in Otter’s Skins, on which were large Characters written with blue Ink.  The Characters I did not understand, and the Welsh Man being unacquainted with Letters, even, of his own Language, I was not able to know the meaning of the writing.  They are a bold, hardy, and intrepid people, very Warlike, and the Women beautiful when compared with other Indians.”

Captain Stewart and Mr. Beatty’s account are nearly of the same Date, though related by the Captain in March 1782.

The Riches of the Country I take no Notice of, as they do not concern my Subject, which is only the Manners, Customs, Traditions, and Language of the Inhabitants.

The Information given us by the Captain and Mr. Beatty, seems to confirm, I may almost say, establish, the Truth of Llwyd’s and Powel’s History, and of Mr. Jones’s Narrative.  The latter says that in the Year 1660, some Indian Tribes spoke Welsh; and his Testimony appears to me unquestionable because he understood it.  Messrs. Stewart and Beatty say that it was the Language of some Indian Tribes about the Years 1766 and 1768.