The idea that there are hidden Jews in the Americas has a long history. In 1649 an English missionary Thomas Thorowgood published his theory that the native Americans were the lost ten tribes - in confirmation he appended R. Manasseh Ben Israel's account of Antonio (Aaron Levi) de Montesinos' encounter with hidden Jews in Peru. This is the first appearance in print of the account Ben Israel used for his own 'Mikveh Israel' - 'The Hope of Israel' of 1650. The account is p. 129 f.