then present, which is laid downe in the Spanish chronicles of the conquest of the West Indies. "2. The British wordes, and names of places used in that countrey, even to this day, doe argue the same, as when they talke together, they use this word gwrando, which is hearken or listen. Also they have a certain bird with a white head, which they call penguin, that is white head, but the island of Corroeso, the riuer Guyndor, and the white rock of Penguyn, which be all British or Welsh words, do manifestly shew that it was that countrey which Madoc and his people inhabited." "After the death of Owen Guyneth, his sonnes fell at debate who should inherit after him for the eldest sonne borne in matrimony, Edward or Iorwerth Drwydion, was counted unmeet to go uerne, because of the maime upon his face: and Powell that took upon him all the rule was a base sonne, begotten upon an Irish woman. Therefore Dauid gathered all the power he could, and came against Powell, and fighting with him, slue him, and afterward enioyed quietly the whole land of North Wales, until his brother Iorwerths sonne came to age, Madoc another of Owen Guyneth his sonnes left the land in contention between histion of white Indians inhabited its borders, who brethren, and prepared certaine ships, with men and munition, and sought adventures by seas, sailings west, and leauing the coast of Ireland so farre north, that he came to a land unknowen, where he saw many strange things. It will perhaps be recollected, that until Messrs. Clark and Lewis undertook to trace the source of the Missouri, it was generally believed that a na were supposed to be the descendants of those Welshmen alluded to above. But their expedition has dissipated the delusion, and not a trace was to be found of the existence of such a people. This land must needs be some part of that country of which the Spanyards affirme themselves to be the first finders since Hannoes time. *Purchas says, "But if any be desirous to be. For by reason, and order of Cosmographie, this land to the which Madoc came must needs believe that this Matloc peopled the continent or some part of Noua Hispania, or Florida. Where-islands of America rather than the Terceras or upon it is manifest that that country was long be- some of the African islands, I will not hinder, fore by Britains discovered, afore either Columnor will I runne too much out of compasse in bus or Americus Vesputius led any Spanyards thither. Of the voyage and returne of this Madoc pleading for the compasse as which only can di there he many fables fained, as the common peo- rect in such spacious seas. Yet of this opinion is ple do use in distance of place and length of time that learned and judicious author Josephus Acosrather to ogment than to diminish, but sure it is ta, who largely and learnedly' contendeth that there he was. And after he had returned home, and declared the pleasant and fruitful countryes they came not there purposely, if they came by that he had seene without inhabitants, and upon sea; but by distress of weather, and yet finds no the contrary part, for what barren and wilde less difficultie (that way) in the transporting ground his brethren and nephues did murther one another, he prepared a number of ships, and beasts, especially wild and unprofitable beasts, got with him such men and women as were de- which is not likely they would take into shippe sirous to live in quietnesse, and taking leave of his with them, much less convey them over so huge friends, tooke his iourney thitherward againe, an ocean." It would then appear that Purchass Therefore it is to be presupposed, that he and his people inhabited parte of those countryes: for himself believed this voyage of the Welshman it appeareth by Francis Lopez de Gomara, that to be entirely fabulous, or that if he did sail at all, in Acuzamil and other places the people honored he must have gone to some parts of the world the crosse. Whereby it may be gathered that which had formerly been discovered. "This Christians had been there before the comming of Spanyards. But because this people were not however," says the same author," is thought by many, they followed the maners of the land they Dr. Powell and Mr. Humphry Lhuyd to have been came unto, and used the language they found the continent of the new world, confirmed herein by the speech of Montezuma, professing his progenitors to be strangers, and by the use of certain Welch words which David Ingram observed in his travel thro' those parts. Howsoever; it is certaine that the prints of this British expedition are in manner worne out and no sign thereof was found by the Spaniards." So much for the Welsh discovery. But another class have arisen, still more extraordinary, who have endeavoured to prove that the American is, in fact, the oldest continent, and has consequently peopled Europe there. "This Madoc arriving in that western country, unto the which he came in the yeere 1170 left most of his people there, and returned back for more of his owne nation, acquaintance and friends, to inhabit that fayre and large countrey, went thither again with ten sailes, as I find noted Gutyn Owen. I am of opinion that the land whereunto he came was some part of Mexico. The causes which make me to thinke so be these "1. The common people of the inhabitants of that country, which affirm that theyr rulers descended from a strange nation that came thither from a farre countrey. Which thing is confessed by Mutezuma king of that country, in an oration made for quieting of his peopie, at his submission Purchass's Pilgramage, p. 506--a work extremely rare and to the king of Castile, Hernando Cortes being || valuable. and the other quarters of the world. Among these are Dr. S. Mitchell and the British fabulist, Ash. Their theories may be ingenious, but they are not solid. They may afford room for speculation, but they are not calculated to produce conviction or certainty. With this brief and rapid outline of the various opinions entertained at different periods on the subject of the aboriginal natives of this country, we shall conclude. Mona Antigua, by Henry Rowlands, p. 177. Al- DRAMA. Communicated for the National Register. It is to be regretted that the American drama is so little attended to. There is, perhaps, no country that affords so fine a field as this for the exercise of dramatic talent. The freedom of our political institutions, the variety and diversity of character which is to be found in the United To the Editor of the New-York Evening Post. "LONDON, 21st Feb. 1816. "SIR-If the following account of the discovery of America, by the ancient British, at a very early period should appear sufficiently inter-States, and the unrestrained liberty of speech, esting, the insertion of a few paragraphs in your truly useful, valuable and respectable paper, will greatly oblige many of your friends on this side of the water, who will be happy to give publicity in any of their papers, to such remarks as you may be pleased to express. which tends to develope all the peculiarities and excentricities of our nature, must afford an unbounded field for the exertions of the dramatic muse. The prejudices, however, which exist a gainst the productions of our domestic authors, "It appears from the very many quotations from and the rage for every thing European, will have various publications, which have been selected by a tendency to retard the exertions of American the best British antiquaries, both ancient and modern, that Prince Madoc Ap Owen Guyneth, a genius; & while it reflects on the patriotism of our Welsh Prince, discovered America, in the year citizens, contributes, in no small degree, to check 1170-three hundred and twenty-two years before the growth of our literature. Several efforts have the first voyage made by Columbus; and the same prince planted a colony on the west side of the been made to overcome these absurd and deleteriMississippi, the descendants of whom are said to ous prejudices; but they have been ineffectual. The subsist in or near the same place by above a hun-stage, that source of refined and rational amusedred creditable authors, who have particularly expressed it: and the fact is recognized in an-ment, has been resorted to by a very few American ancient Welch poetry, which existed long before writers, who have furnished dramatic pieces more the first voyage was performed by Columbus. The with a view to their own amusement and to exlast writers on this subject are Dr. Williams, Rec-cite a national taste, calculated to overcome the tor of Sydenham, who has issued two publications, and the Rev. George Burder, A. M. late of Co-prejudices already mentioned, than for any purventry, who has issued one-all of which are re- pose of pecuniary emolument. Among these are plete with interesting intelligence on this point. Messrs. Barker, Ingersoll, Waterston, &c. who These three books have been perused by Richard have furnished dramatic pieces for the stage, and Mackay, chief mate of the Maria, capt. Miller, bound to New-York. who have already almost outlived their reputation. The former of these gentlemen, who has perhaps justly been denominated the American dramatist, from his having devoted more of his leisure to the stage than any other American, has much superior to many of the European dramas that have been received in this country with great eclat. The last of his dramatic productions is Marmion, the plot of which is borrowed from "For further proof, please to look into James Howell's Letters; vol. 2, p. 71, concerning the ancient Britons, and you will find that Madoc Ap Owen, prince of Wales, made two voyages to America at the time before mentioned. See also the 3d vol. of the Voyages of the English nation,produced some pieces of considerable merit, and by Richard Hugluys, student of Christ Church, Oxford, p. 1. Also, Pagett's Christianography, p. 47. Also, third and last vols. of the Turkish Spy, p. 202. Also, Purchass' Pilgrimage, vol. 8. p. 899. Also, Broughton, who says that the faith of Christ was preached in America by some of our first pre-Scott's poem of that name; and this, with all its lates, who preached in Britain. Also, George Abbott, Lord Archbishop, of Canterbury's History of the world, p. 255-56-57, who informs us that king Arthur had some knowledge of America, and that a prince of Wales first found it out. See also the Weish Cambria, written by David Poweli and Sir John Price Knight, p. 225, translated into English by Humphrey Lloyd, gentleman, where you will find the reasons which induced the Prince Madoc Ap Owen Guyneth to travel See also Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the world; Sir Thomas Herbert's Travels into Persia. p. 355; Dr. Mitchell's letter De Witt Clinton. Ash's Travels-Jef ferson-Lofitau, &e. intrinsic merit, to the disgrace of the country, he was obliged to get the managers to announceas a European production, and as such, was, of course, received with great applause and approbation. Such are the shifts to which American writers, however laudible and patriotic their motives may be, are compelled to resort to preserve their productions from silent neglect, or instant damnation. But there are other difficulties which an American writer for the stage has to encoun ter, of a moré unyielding character, The stage is closed against our domestic dramas, and it is not without much difficulty the managers can be at all prevailed upon to bring them out. If, however, the writer is even so fortunate as to obtain the consent of our anglo-American managers to bring his piece on the stage, he is obliged to ing the progress of the American drama, and paralizing the exertions of American genius. I For the National Register. TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL. submit to their dictatorial arrogance, or royal Description of the County of Brunswick, in Northpruning knife, with which they disfigure and mutilate the finest sentiments and best diction of his Carolina. The settlement of this county was coeval with that of the State. Until a few years since, it lay entirely on the west side of Cape Fear river; but by a late act of the legislature, Cape Island, which lies south-eastwardly across the mouth of the river four miles, was taken from New Hanover and added to Brunswick county. It is bounded on the north by New Inlet, on the east, south, and south-east by the Atlantic ocean and Cape Fear river, on the south-west by the Atlantic ocean, including a line of sea-coast, thirty miles in extent; on the north-west by Bladen and Columbus counties, and westerly by the line of South-Carolina. The face of the country is generally low and level, and the soil sandy, with a growth of pine trees, interspersed with cypress swamps and open savannahs. The candle berry myrtle grows spontaneously in the woods and on the high lands. An indigenous herb, called gravel weed, flourishes in the cultivated fields, after being laid waste, the tea of which is said to give relief in nephritic complaints. An extensive dismal, called the green swamp, lies in the interior, and is the source of several navigable creeks, viz. Livingston and Town creeks, which empty into Cape Fear river, the first above and the other below the town of Wilmington; and the river called Lockwood's Folly, which passes through the middle of the county, and enters the sea twelve miles west of Cape Fear river. Agriculture has made but slow progress in this county. The body of high lands, being too poor to repay the husbandman for his labour. Rice is produced in considerable quantity on the tide swamps of the river Cape Fear, and its lower creeks and branches, and is annually exported from Wil play. I understand that the most patriotic sentiments of Mr. Waterson's Battle of Orleans, which was performed in this city last summer, the manager struck out, because they were quite too American for the palates of English players; and the prologue, written by Mr. Colvin, Mrs. Entwisle refused to speak, because it bore too hard on her country. If these are facts, and I have no reason to doubt them, it will be a long time before the American drama will be able to succeed. For however excellent they may be in plot, in sentiment, and in manners, it will not be possible to overcome immediately the torrent of prejudice and the current of difficulties they have to encounter. The American dramatist who writes for his own amusement, or with a view to add to the literary reputation of his country, for he never receives any pecuniary emolument, will certainly not submit to the exclusion of the finest sentiments of his play, merely because they are patriotic; and will not stoop to beg an English player (and we have scarcely any that is not) to spare his piece, and gratify the feelings of his audience by the repetition of those sentiments that are dear to every lover of his country. The feelings of these anglo-American managers must, indeed, be very delicate, that can induce them to insult an American audience by the expression of the most monarchical, British and royal sentiments, while they positively refuse to utter those of an American character, because, forsooth, though it would gratify their audience, it would offend their sensibility. These are some of the difficulties the American writer has to encounter, and until they can be removed there is but little probability of acquiring any thing like dramaticmington. Vineyards and peach orchards might reputation. To effect this object, so desirable in its nature-this slavish dependence on foreign literary supplies, which is so extensively felt in this country, must be destroyed, and the stage, now closed, must be entirely free to the dramatic productions of the American muse. We have been long enough a nation to produce dramatists, and presume no one will say there is a defiCattle and hogs run wild in the woods; the ciency of genius. Let us strive then to overcome former are supported in the summer by wild this melancholy apathy, and remove those nugrass, and in the winter by cane rods in swamps; merous difficulties I have enumerated as retard-the latter feed in summer on fruits & vegetables, in be cultivated to advantage. Pine timber and lumber are always had in plenty, and tar and turpentine are furnished in considerable quantities. Shingles of an inferior quality are made from the large cypress trees, that abound in swamps, and millions are shipped, every winter, to the West-Indies. Smithville, a post village, and the capital of the county, is situated on the north-western bluff, at the entrance of Cape Fear river, and was first settled about 18 years ago. The bay opposite to Smithville is the station of pilotage, and affords a delightful prospect, being interspersed with islands, inlets, capes, &c. The United States oc autumn on acorns, and in winter on the roots and || vember and December. The winters are gene. herbs of swamps. Neither of them ever consume rally healthy; likewise the spring and summer, the hay or corn of a farm, until they are intended until the end of July. to be butchered, and then a small quantity of corn or potatoes are given to the hogs. Some saw mills have been erected, which saw boards and scantling. Ship building was formerly attended to in this county along the shores of the river. The timber was obtained from Cape Island; but the effects of the late war put a stop to this business, which has not since been revived.cupy a high and commanding square of land on Sweet potatoes are raised plentifully, and small the bank of the river, near the centre of the vil quantities of Indian corn and peas. Cotton has lage, on which is erected a battery of eight 24 been attempted in a small way. Public roads are pounders, a brick building for the accommodakept in tolerable order, passing to and from Wil tion of officers, a block house, guard house, and mington, Fayetteville, Smithville, and through a range of buildings for the accommodation of the counties of New Hanover, Bladen, and Co-100 artillerists. It is here that large ships are lumbus, and from George Town and Charleston, obliged to be loaded and unloaded, for Wilmingin South-Carolina. There are also a few toll-ton, in consequence of the river shoaling to 114 bridges in the county, of small dimensions. A feet, ten miles below the latter place. causeway, two miles long, and of commodious Smithville contains about sixty dwelling houses, breadth, opens a view from Wilmington, across some of them well built, a school for the educaEagle Island, to the high land of this connty. tion of young ladies, and a court house. The A ditch on each side admits the passage of small population of this place is estimated in winter at boats at high water. Two ferries and a small about 300, but in summer and autuma, including bridge facilitate the passage of travellers over temporary residents, from five to six hundred. the causeway, which extends quite across Eagle Its situation is pleasant, and the water is good. Island. This swampy island is bordered by the In summer and autumn it enjoys the advantages tide of fresh water, and abounds with cypress in of cool sea breezes. The inhabitants are geneall places where it is not cultivated with fields rally healthy. It is 8 miles north of Cape Fear, of rice. The principal streams of water, besides 30 south of Wilmington, 100 nearly west of Georgethose already mentioned, are Elizabeth river, Ba-town, S. C. 120 south-west of Fayetteville, and con's Inlet, Tule's Inlet, and Little river, which || 463 a little west of south from Washington. are all boatable. The climate of this county is Cape Island, erroneously called Bald Head variable, and the atmosphere subject to sudden Island, by some, and by others Smith's Island, and excessive changes, in consequence of the forms the south-eastern part of the county, and proximity of the Appalachian mountains and the is bounded on the south and east by the Atlantic gulph stream. The condensed air of the former, ocean, west by the entrance of Cape Fear river, rushing in to supply the place of the rarified va- and on the north by New Inlet. The southern pours of the latter, much rain falls in the course point of this island forms Cape Fear, which is of a year, which is greatly required by a soil so situated in north latitude 33 52, and west longidry and sandy. A vast quantity of humid vapour tude, from Greenwich 78 20. is produced by the power of the sun in summer This island contains several thousand acres of which is quickly condensed in the superior re-sandy light soil, and produces a growth of live gions of the atmosphere, and is precipitated with oak, cedar, and cabbage tree. It extends northexplosions of electricity, that often strike trees, wardly from Cape Fear to New Inlet, about 8 and sometimes houses and vessels. Snow falls miles, and is from 1 to 3 miles wide. An excelbut seldom in the winter season, generally in lent light house formerly stood on a point called small quantities, and lies but a few days. Frost Bald Head, about 4 miles north-westwardly of is seen about the middle of October, and ceases the Cape. By an encroachment of the sea, a few to appear by the first of April. The diseases of years since, this building was underwashed and this country are similar to those of the other destroyed. The general government have ormaritime districts of the southern States. The dered the erection of a new one half a mile intemonths of August, September, and October, are rior. remarkable for fevers: influenza, catarrhal and and rheumatic affections, sometimes occur in No Cape Fear river.-On discovery of this stream by the English, it was called Clarendon; but that among those we call savages, are certainly much more safe from injury and insult, than Protestants now are in several of the most enlightened countries of Europe. "DEAR SIR,--We have had the unexpected pleasure to receive your letter, dated Washington Boudinot, first, that the Indians of North AmeCity, May 24. Whether the hypothesis of Mr. name, by erroneous custòm, was afterwards chang-dren of the Cherokee nation; and though living ed for the one which it now bears. At the mouth of Town creek, 24 miles above the entrance of the river, they found an Indian town on a tract of rich land. When the natives were obliged to retire farther into the forest, the whites took possession of their village, with the intention of erecting a town. The idea, however, was aban-rica are the descendents of the lost ten tribes of doned, in consequence of discovering a mud shoal Israel; or, secondly, that they, with their breof some extent opposite the shore. They finally of their ancestors, and have a king named David, thren, will be gathered together in the country pitched on a bluff 8 miles lower down, still on who shall reign over them in Jerusalem, be well the west side of the river, where a vessel drawing founded, must be left to time to show. For my fourteen and a half feet water could be admitted part, when I compare the promises which we read in the prophets respecting the restoration of Isfrom the sea. Here a town was established, and racl, with the words of St. Paul, I am inclined to called Brunswick, after the name of the county, think (and I believe this is the most general and was the first settled town in the province. opinion) that the prophecies speak figuratively of their being gathered unto Christ their King, the It was destroyed by the British during the Ameson of David. As to the descent of the Indians, rican revolution, and has never been rebuilt. Two I think all that can be said is mere conjecture. or three old wooden houses are all that remain, The Indians, at least the Cherokees, among whom of which is kept in repair as we live, (and with any other nation we have no a tavern. intercourse) seem to be totally ignorant of their Among the ruins of this place are seen the ex-history: for instance, the numerous mounds in tensive brick walls of on old church, around many places of their country, clearly evince, that which are several well wrought marble tombs. formerly other nations, better supplied with imThis town was situated 14 miles above Smithville, known to possess when the whites became ac plements for labour than the Cherokees were, and abont 16 below Wilmington. quainted with them, must have lived in this country; but from the present inhabitants it cannot be known when and from whence their ancestors came hither; who those nations were which they expelled from this country, or what has become of them. one Long after the towns of Brunswick and Wilmington were established, what is now called Cape Island was then a peninsula, about 10 miles in length, and was connected to the main land by a ridge of sand, supposed to be thrown up by religious rites and ceremonies, similar to those enThat they have, or rather formerly had, some the ocean, on the east of Cape Fear river. A joined on the Jews by the Levetical law, is true; person could then ride from Wilmington to Cape and this, I think, affords the main ground for the Fear, a distance of about 30 miles. By a long conjecture that they are of Jewish descent. Such continued and violent hurricane, about fifty years who had accidentally killed a man-and such is were, formerly, their towns of refuge for those ago, the sea was forced through this neck of still the green corn dance; for although this has sand, and afterwards gradually deepened by the degenerated to a mere frolic, yet it seems forebb tide. At present this opening, which has re-merly to have been a festival of the first fruits, ceived the appellation of New Inlet, admits the cations, and were not permitted to eat of the before which they had to submit to some purifipassage of vessels drawing eleven and a half feet new corn before this solemnity. Their former water, and is about two miles wide. This chan-religious rites have been so long disused that nel is found extremely advantageous for vessels engaged in the coasting trade of the northern States, and enables them to avoid the Frying Pan shoals. OF THE ABORIGINES. they are nearly forgotten, and upon inquiry, you have informants, and those often contradictory too. are apt to hear as many different tales as you Neither can I find the features of the Jew in our Indians. Well, be they Jews, or Tartars, or Chinese, or of any other nation by descent, we know that they are MEN of the same origin with ourselves: and what ought still more to inspire us with benevolence towards them, they are bought From the National Intelligencer. with the same price-the blood of our Redeemer and are as capable of comprehending Christian The writer of the following letter is of the doctrine; consequently, also of enjoying the sweets society of the Maravians. He and his amiable of the Gospel as we are. It is true they are savages; consort have resided many years at Spring Place, but what were our ancestors? And what should in the Cherokee country, near the former resi- we be at this day, had they not been brought to dence of the well known chief, James Vann, about the knowledge of the truth by the preaching of 110 miles south westwardly of Knorville, Ten- the gospel?-Your kind wishes for success in our nessee, and 170 miles north westwardly of Mil-undertaking to instruct some of these poor igledgeville, Georgia, according to Bradley's mapnorant people in the way of life, claim our gratiof the United States. These worthy people em-tude; and may all Christians join in fervent prayer ploy their time in giving instruction to the chil- to the Loan, that by his spirit and his word, he |