During the same just and necessary war for all that was dear to us,
in which the volunteers were raised, one of the severest trials
happened to me that ever any magistrate was subjected to. I had, at
the time, again subsided into an ordinary counsellor; but it so fell
out that, by reason of Mr Shuttlethrift, who was then provost,
having occasion and need to go into Glasgow upon some affairs of his
own private concerns, he being interested in the Kilbeacon cotton-
mill; and Mr Dalrye, the bailie, who should have acted for him,
being likewise from home, anent a plea he had with a neighbour
concerning the bounds of their rigs and gables; the whole authority
and power of the magistrates devolved, by a courtesy on the part of
their colleague, Bailie Hammerman, into my hands.

For some time before, there had been an ingathering among us of
sailor lads from the neighbouring ports, who on their arrival, in
order to shun the pressgangs, left their vessels and came to scog
themselves with us. By this, a rumour or a suspicion rose that the
men-of-war's men were suddenly to come at the dead hour of the night
and sweep them all away. Heaven only knows whether this notice was
bred in the fears and jealousies of the people, or was a humane
inkling given, by some of the men-of-war's men, to put the poor
sailor lads on their guard, was never known. But on a Saturday
night, as I was on the eve of stepping into my bed, I shall never
forget it--Mrs Pawkie was already in, and as sound as a door-nail--
and I was just crooking my mouth to blow out the candle, when I
heard a rap. As our bed-room window was over the door, I looked
out. It was a dark night; but I could see by a glaik of light from