The Scottish, or as they are generally denominated,
the Scotch Plains, are situated in the
State of New-Jersey, in the neighbourhood of
Pompton Plains, of which more will be said.
From the name, it was probably settled by a colony
of Scots, at a very early period, perhaps anterior
to the discovery of America by Columbus;
who probably gained some obscure hints of
this matter, from the pedlars, who travelled
through Europe, and was thus led to his great
undertaking.
If this hypothesis should be genuine, as there
are strong reasons to believe, the honour of the
first discovery and colonization of America, belongs
neither to Americus Vespuccius, Christopher
Columbus, Sebastian Cabot, nor Prince Madoc,
but to some other obscure adventurer, who
by an unaccountable negligence in history, has
been thus cruelly defrauded of immortality.
It may not be amiss to observe, that the custom
here alluded to of “tiring swains,” is well
known among the Lassies of Scotland; and this
coincidence furnishes another proof of a common
origin.
