there was a sort of a contest, and nothing could be a fairer
election, yet the very persons that we had chosen were elected,
though some of them had but a narrow chance. Mr Pipe was made the
commandant, by a superiority of only two votes over Mr Dinton.



CHAPTER XX--THE CLOTHING



It was an understood thing at first, that, saving in the matter of
guns and other military implements, the volunteers were to be at all
their own expenses; out of which, both tribulation and
disappointment ensued; for when it came to be determined about the
uniforms, Major Pipe found that he could by no possibility wise all
the furnishing to me, every one being disposed to get his
regimentals from his own merchant; and there was also a division
anent the colour of the same, many of the doucer sort of the men
being blate of appearing in scarlet and gold-lace, insisting with a
great earnestness, almost to a sedition, on the uniform being blue.
So that the whole advantage of a contract was frustrated, and I
began to be sorry that I had not made a point of being,
notwithstanding the alleged weight and impediment of my corpulence,
the major-commandant myself. However, things, after some time,
began to take a turn for the better; and the art of raising
volunteers being better understood in the kingdom, Mr Pipe went into
Edinburgh, and upon some conference with the lord advocate, got
permission to augment his force by another company, and leave to
draw two days' pay a-week for account of the men, and to defray the