which they gave him three other cheers, and immediately dispersed
and went home. The major was a vain body, and took great credit to
himself, as I heard, for this; but, considering the temper of mind
the mob was at one time in, it is quite evident that it was no so
much the major's speech and exhortation that sent them off, as their
dread and terror of the soldiers that I had sent for.

All that night the magistrates, with other gentlemen of the town,
sat in the council-chamber, and sent out, from time to time, to see
that every thing was quiet; and by this judicious proceeding, of
which we drew up and transmitted a full account to the king and
government in London, by whom the whole of our conduct was highly
applauded, peace was maintained till the next day at noon, when a
detachment, as it was called, of four companies came from the
regiment in Ayr, and took upon them the preservation of order and
regularity. I may here notice, that this was the first time any
soldiers had been quartered in the town since the forty-five; and a
woeful warning it was of the consequences that follow rebellion and
treasonable practices; for, to the present day, we have always had a
portion of every regiment, sent to Ayr, quartered upon us.



CHAPTER XI--POLICY



Just about the end of my first provostry, I began to make a
discovery. Whether it was that I was a little inordinately lifted
up by reason of the dignity, and did not comport myself with a