Historical memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton

168 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
spect of a realization of his hopes and expectations,
he at last " applied for and obtained his discharge
from the service " — his Majesty's royal regiment of
North-British dragoons. . . .
" Upon obtaining his discharge, the panel re-
turned to Scotland, in 1745, when he found his
countrymen in arms against one another. His
chief and kinsman, the Earl of Loudon, did him
the honour to countenance him, and the panel
accompanied his lordship to the Highlands in that
year. After their return, Lord Loudon procured
him a commission as an officer of excise, with a re-
commendation, which the panel earnestly desired,
to station him somewhere in Ayrshire, that he
might be near his friends. . . .
" Upon this duty he entered in 1746, and was
first stationed at Newmills, in Ayrshire, from which
he was removed to Stewarton, from Stewarton to
Irvine, and from Irvine to Saltcoats ; all places in
the shyre of Ayr, in whieh the panel chose to re-
main on account of his love to the natale solum. .
" The character of an excise officer is by no
means popular in this country, yet the panel con-
ducted himself so as to be well liked and counte-
nance J by all ranks of people. To the poor he
cannot say he was liberal, for he had but little to
give. His income was narrow ; but as he had no
family, till very lately, he had something to spare.
What he gave, trifle as it was, he gave with coni-
passion and he must do himself the
justice to say, that, die when he may, he will be