[LN2Campy]

The Basques were excellent seamen and fished the Georges Bank for cod hundreds of years prior to Columbus. It may well be that a number of them settled in Northeastern North America which would explain some linguistic links among a tribe that eventually mixed with/absorbed them.

I once read a reference to an expedition in the late 1600s wherein a welshman was able to communicate with a group of Noth American Indians in his native speech. I've never been able to find out more about it, but I found that to be fascinating.

It's already been conclusively proved that the Norse were in N.A. 500 years before Columbus. We will probably eventually learn that there was a great deal more contact between the "Old" and "New" Worlds than we ever imagined.

[blam]

"I once read a reference to an expedition in the late 1600s wherein a welshman was able to communicate with a group of Noth American Indians in his native speech. I've never been able to find out more about it, but I found that to be fascinating."

There is a plaque here at the mouth of Mobile Bay commerating the visit of a Welsh prince in 1170AD.( I cannot remember his name presently) He is reported to have migrated inland up the water ways of Alabama into Tennessee (There is some supporting ruins there) and on into the heartland, this is supposedly the source of the Welsh language speakers that you cite. (I'll think of the name of the Welsh prince today.)

[BluH2o]

The Basques were excellent seamen and fished the Georges Bank for cod hundreds of years prior to Columbus.

That is highly improbable ... otherwise the Azores would have been discovered long before 1420 when the Portugese were the first Europeans to discover the islands.

[Cronos]

It's already been conclusively proved that the Norse were in N.A. 500 years before Columbus. We will probably eventually learn that there was a great deal more contact between the "Old" and "New" Worlds than we ever imagined.

Well yes, but it is suppposed to be a short-lived colony in Newfoundland that was abandoned when the weather got colder or somefing loike that.