In the Hebrew we have [Illustration] exploravit, “he search’d,” and a Substantive, [Illustration] exploratores, “Searchers.”  Hence some would derive the word Tartar, [Illustration] “Tartar,” after the Hebrew manner.  They also think that the British word “Tor or Torriad,” “a breaking or cutting off,” has the same Origin.  Those who travel, may be said to “search.”  When they travel in foreign, unknown Countries, they may be said to be “cut off” from their Friends, as the Ten Tribes were from their native Land by Nebuchadnezzar.

But it is not at all probable that the Tartars derived their Name from this Hebrew word; for, omitting other reasons, the original Name of that People is Tatar.]

As the Captivity happened near 600 Years before Christ, we may reasonably believe that in the Course of about 2000 Years, the Americans descended from Tartars might become as numerous as they are said to have been, when the Europeans landed on their Coast.  This will fully Account for Jewish Customs and Manners in some parts of America.

I now proceed to consider the Objections raised by two very respectable Authors to Prince Madog’s Voyages to America; Lord Lyttelton, and Dr. William Robertson.

I have already observed, that the Account we have of this Event in Caradoc’s History, was not written by him, but by Humphry Llwyd and Dr. Powel; but I conceive that Lord Lyttelton was not right in calling there additions to Caradoc’s work “Interpolations.”

Besides the Unpoliteness, indeed, the Impropriety of the Word, this is to charge the above Writers with wilful and direct Forgeries.  Llwyd and Powel were Gentlemen of fair and unblemished Characters, and good Scholars.  Mr. Llwyd’s Writings shew him to have been a Man of Learning and Judgment; and Dr. Powel was the same; and was well acquainted with all the Transactions in his Native Principality, and published several things on that Subject, besides this Work; such as Ponticus Virunnius, and Giraldus’s History.

Dr. Powel says that he had compared Llwyd’s Translation with the British Book, of which he had at first two Copies, (meaning, as I understand him, of Guttun Owen’s Book) and that he had received a third and a larger Copy of it from Robert Glover, Somerset Herald.  This Circumstance shews that he was a diligent and careful Enquirer; and that Llwyd’s Translations and Additions were just, true, and correct.  A Gentleman in the Herald’s Office must have known what degree of Credit was to be given to a Writing on a Subject with which a Person in his Office must have been conversant; otherwise, it is not probable that he would have been at the trouble of correcting it, nor would he have sent it to a Friend as a Voucher of a Fact.  Where he found his Copy to differ from others of Authority and Consistency, he corrected his Copy by them; for a Person in his Situation must have had free access to all the Repositories of Antiquity in his own Office, and to others.[pp] Dr. Powel also corrected his Copy; whence it appears evident that Guttun Owen’s Compilations were extant in Dr. Powel’s Days.