council-chamber, where it was proposed that we should read the riot
act from the windows; and this awful duty, by the nature of my
office as provost, it behoved me to perform. Nor did I shrink from
it; for by this time my corruption was raised, and I was determined
not to let the royal authority be set at nought in my hands.

Accordingly, Mr Keelivine, the town clerk, having searched out among
his law books for the riot act, one of the windows of the council-
chamber was opened, and the bell man having, with a loud voice,
proclaimed the "O yes!" three times, I stepped forward with the book
in my hands. At the sight of me, the rioters, in the most audacious
manner, set up a blasphemous laugh; but, instead of finding me
daunted thereat, they were surprised at my fortitude; and, when I
began to read, they listened in silence. But this was a concerted
stratagem; for the moment that I had ended, a dead cat came whizzing
through the air like a comet, and gave me such a clash in the face
that I was knocked down to the floor, in the middle of the very
council-chamber. What ensued is neither to be told nor described;
some were for beating the fire-drum; others were for arming
ourselves with what weapons were in the tolbooth; but I deemed it
more congenial to the nature of the catastrophe, to send off an
express to Ayr for the regiment of soldiers that was quartered
there--the roar of the rioters without, being all the time like a
raging flood.

Major Target, however, who had seen service in foreign wars, was
among us, and he having tried in vain to get us to listen to him,
went out of his own accord to the rioters, and was received by them
with three cheers. He then spoke to them in an exhorting manner,
and represented to them the imprudence of their behaviour; upon