1837-38. SNOW-BALL RIOT. 121 



All the shops were necessitated immediately to shut their 

 windows, to prevent more breakage, and the thoroughfare 

 blocked up. Still the police continued to aggravate the feel- 

 ings of the students by refusing to take up any of the primary 

 aggressors, and now the attack began on them. They had as- 

 sembled in considerable numbers, and Bailie was strutting 



in all his dignity, and getting pelted soundly. At last some of 

 the superior lieutenants of police arrived, and they attempted to 

 dislodge the students : they repelled them easily, and a shout 

 was raised, ' Open the middle gate, and see if they can get in ;' 

 so the middle gate was opened, and in they rushed. At first 

 the students gave way ; the short, heavy batons of the police 

 were more efficient in the porch, and they drove them back in 

 the quadrangle, without ever taking prisoners. 



" The students, too, at first fought in detached groups, and 

 necessarily quailed before the regular phalanx of the batoned 

 mercenaries. Soon, however, counselled by an Irishman (every 

 one of whom was, of course, led there by natural instinct), who 

 made a speech to them, and ranged them in an opposing line, 

 bringing all the short sticks to the front, the long ones being 

 behind, so as to hit over the heads of the first rank a glorious 

 plan. After this was resorted to, victory never left the students. 

 They battered the police, and six different times drove them to 

 the porch, where their short batons availed them, and there they 

 stopped. Along with them, and this was the grievous thing, 

 was an infuriated mob, who gladly took part against the stu- 

 dents bakers, and butcher-boys, and sailors, mingling in the 

 affray by police connivance, and being even given the sticks 

 captured from students. This was an hour's work from two to 

 three, and things getting serious, a despatch was sent for the 

 Lord Provost, who made an attempt at addressing the students, 

 with the hope of pacifying them. One huge Irishman walked 

 up, and, patting him on the back, asked in a slang phrase of the 

 day, but sufficiently expressive on this occasion, 'Does your 

 mother know you're out V Another promised him protection in 

 his waistcoat pocket ; and all laughed and jeered at him. In- 

 furiated, he rushed off, addressed some words to the rnob, and 

 up to the Castle for the military, who by this time had become 



