himself to be carried from off the stage. Maddox, of course, was not
quite in so desperate a condition, as he had the best of the hitting in
the rallies, especially towards the latter rounds. It was stated by an
experienced amateur that Maddox put in two, sometimes three blows to
Symonds’s one throughout the contest,” which lasted two hours, during
which 100 rounds were fought.

On Monday, February 10, 1794, Maddox met Hooper, the tinman, but after a
game fight of nearly an hour, surrendered to that formidable boxer. (See
HOOPER, _ante_, p. 107.)

Isaac Bittoon, a Jew, known for many years after to the visitors of the
Fives Court and sparring saloons of the metropolis, was Maddox’s next
opponent. Bittoon’s qualifications as a boxer will be found noticed
under his name. The battle came off on Monday, December 13th, 1802, on
Wimbledon Common. The ground first named was Wormwood Scrubs, but “on
arriving there a goodly posse of the Bow Street runners, with a number
of special constables, had possession of the ground. A council of war
now directed that each man’s party should separate and meet again at the
five-mile-stone on the Edgware road, to elude the vigilance of the
myrmidons of the law. When George and his friends reached the
rendezvous, no Jew was there, and they waited two hours in anxious
expectation. All hopes of a battle that day were given up, when a
messenger on horseback arrived with the information that Bittoon was
waiting for his opponent at Wimbledon Common, when off went gig, cart,
curricle, carriage, buggy, and tumbler, over Putney Bridge, on a visit
once again to the shrine of Jerry Abbershaw. At a quarter before three
the pilgrims arrived, the ring was formed, and precisely at five minutes
before three they set-to. Bittoon was seconded by Lyons, and Maddox by
Joe Ward.

“For the first three rounds the Jew had a clear advantage, having three
successive times brought down his opponent at the close of the round,
but not without some sharp returns. The combatants manœuvred, then laid
aside science for a display of unflinching courage, forcing the fighting
rapidly, taking and giving heavily; but in this the agility of Maddox
and his superior quickness in advancing and retreating brought the odds
to seven to four in his favour. From the sixty-eighth to the
seventy-third round, Bittoon recovered strength and well supported the
contest. In the seventy-fourth round he threw Maddox heavily, who was
also sadly beaten both in the face and body. It was now getting dark,
and Maddox persevered to make it a ‘draw.’ Maddox’s brother and friends
now entered the ring and stopped the battle, stating that no one could
see fair. A general engagement with sticks and fists ensued, to clear
the ring. A parley ensued, when it was agreed the battle should be
postponed to a future day; the men having been engaged one hour and ten
minutes, and fought seventy-four rounds, the seventy-fifth being
interrupted as above stated.” The reporter adds, “in the fight both men
displayed ‘bottom’ unequalled in the annals of pugilism.” At a further
conference between the backers of the men, they humanely decided, that
two such brave and evenly matched men should not meet again for the same
stake, but each have his backer’s stake-money.

George, now, as on former occasions, like Caleb Baldwin and others of
his time, returned to his humble and laborious calling. He however,
_more majorum_, attended whenever there was a “good thing” on. Thus, on
the 23rd January, 1804, he was present at the celebrated fight of the
Game Chicken and Joe Berks, on Putney Common. The great event disposed
of, a purse was got up, and Maddox, then called “the Veteran,” offered
himself as a candidate. One Seabrook, a dustman, and a bounceable sort
of chap, long known as a second rate pugilist, was induced by the offer
of four pounds to enter the ring with George. The affair was a farce,
Maddox punished Seabrook all over the ring for three rounds, when he
fell out of the ropes and declared his arm was broken. “No sooner,
however, had he nibbed the gull (Anglicè pocketed the money), than he
boastingly swore he was not the least hurt.”[109] “Pancratia,” p. 199.

George’s day’s work was not, however, yet over. Bill Richmond, an
athletic American black, of whom we shall hear more hereafter, who had
served his time to a cabinet maker at York, and was at this time footman
to the well-known Lord Camelford, having expressed himself desirous of a
“shy” with a professed pugilist, was indulged by the deposit of a small
stake. The affair, like that of Seabrook’s, was of three rounds only. In
the last round Maddox caught Richmond an electrifying blow under the
left eye, which in the words of the reporter, “so completely _queered
his ogle_, that he at once gave in.”

George, though now in his fiftieth year, was always ready to try “a
novice.” At a meeting at Wood Green, near Hornsey, on Monday, June 7,
1805, a subscription purse was offered of twenty-five guineas, twenty
for the winner, five for the loser. For this Tom Cribb, “the Black
Diamond,” offered himself. The battle will be detailed under Cribb. His
after-renowned opponent, besides the advantages of youth, was two inches
taller than George. Maddox fought like a hero, and gave in with
reluctance, after two hours and ten minutes’ combat, with a stalwart and
game youngster with stamina fresh and unwasted. Maddox fell gloriously,
and Young Cribb, hitherto unknown, by this contest acquired a pugilistic
fame that soon developed itself, and ultimately led him to the
championship.

On Monday, June 5th, 1806, three boxing matches were decided at Padnal
Corner, Epping Forest. The second of these was between George Maddox,
“the Veteran,” and Coady,[110] an Irish boxer, of great pretence, for
forty guineas. Maddox was considered “gone by,” and Coady made the
favourite. We copy the report from the _Daily Advertiser_: “Maddox
fought in the old style, that of rallying,[111] and in a great measure
giving the first powerful hit in each round. Coady always waited for him
to begin, and generally hit in return successfully in the rallies. His
blows did not, however, seem to tell so much or to be put in so sharply
as his adversary’s. After the combat had lasted half an hour there was
some confusion, and the ring was broken in, but whether by design or
accident could not be discovered. The combatants were, however, taken
away until another ring was formed, when they again set-to. The combat
lasted another three quarters of an hour, when a detachment of the 10th
Light Dragoons appeared, headed by a magistrate, who, being also
headborough, entered the ring, and with all the moderation and
gentlemanly affability becoming his authority addressed the amateurs,
informing them they must disperse in the name of the law, or he should
be under the necessity of calling in military aid to enforce his
mission. Upon this they all retired about a mile further, when the
cavalry disappearing they formed another ring.” The name of this
magisterial specimen of the _suaviter in modo et fortiter re_ has not
been recorded by the admiring reporter, or we would willingly have
perpetuated it. Mr. Coady was now called to appear and face his man; but
in the interval his eyes had nearly closed. “He _refused to enter the
ring_,” says the report, “_so the battle was declared a drawn
one_.”[112] That there was no further interruption is shown by the fact
that there was a third battle, between O’Donnell and Smith. (See
O’DONNELL in Appendix.)

Maddox once more retired to his vocation as a street dealer in fish,
fruit, flowers, and other commodities then generally hawked through the
scattered suburbs, now solidified into the enormous mass of the mighty
metropolis—in plain prose, he followed his vocation of a costermonger,
and was a noted character among the Westminster fraternity. Meantime,
Bill Richmond, his old antagonist, had won himself a name and position
among the list of boxers, and the blot on his ’scutcheon, from his early
and summary defeat by Maddox, so sorely troubled him that he longed to
rub it out by another tourney. He challenged the veteran, who accepted
the defiance. They met August 9, 1809. John Gully seconded the veteran,
and Bill Gibbons, his Westminster “pal,” was his bottle-holder. Yet one
more illustration of the soundness of Captain Godfrey’s axiom, not to
“trust battle to a waning age,” was given. Maddox in his fifty-fourth
year, after fifty-two rounds, reluctantly gave in to his younger,
heavier, and stronger adversary.

In all the numerous contests in which Maddox had been engaged, his
courage was pre-eminent. As a pugilist, he was conspicuous for
determined rallying and quick hitting; and, though well acquainted with
the science, he relied more on his true game than strictly following the
principles of the art. It is but justice to his memory to state,
according to the best information upon the subject, that pugilism was
never disgraced by any of his public encounters, nor his character ever
stained by making a cross.

A short time previous to his death a benefit was got up for “the
veteran” at the One Tun Room, Jermyn Street, which was well attended,
and at which the first pugilists exhibited specimens of self-defence;
among whom several of his old opponents were not backward in assisting
him by their efforts, as Cribb, Bittoon, O’Donnell, Richmond, etc.

The death of this courageous boxer was the consequence of an accident.
The pipes (in those days hollowed trunks of elm trees) which conveyed
water through the Borough Market were under repair, and the dark street
“for in those days we had not got to gas,” left with a yawning chasm.
Into one of these, while repairing to market before dawn, poor George
was precipitated; he received a compound fracture of the thigh,
erysipelas supervened, and our hero, for hero he was though humble,
closed his career in St. Thomas’s Hospital. George was buried, by the
subscriptions of some of his brother boxers in the churchyard of St.
George the Martyr.

                              CHAPTER VII.

      CALEB BALDWIN, “THE PRIDE OF WESTMINSTER.”—1786 (1792)‒1816.

Caleb Stephen Ramsbottom, for such were the registered sponsorial and
patronymic styles of this well-known boxer, was born beneath the shadow
of the venerable abbey church of St. Peter’s, Westminster, in what were
the head-quarters of the costermongery of western London, in the early
days of the third George, to wit, the 22nd of April, 1769. We like to be
particular in the birthdays of remarkable men, for Caleb, in his day,
was a more noted character, and certainly more of an “original,” than
many upon whom biographers have wasted mutton fat, or, more classically,
“the midnight oil.”

The reader will best form a judgment of Caleb’s qualities as a “good
piece of stuff,” from an unvarnished account of his performances within
the ropes. We may premise, however, that Caleb in his later days weighed
but 9st. 11lbs., and therefore may well take his own assertion, that he
was quite four pounds less when in his younger days he met antagonists,
without much distinction of age or height; his own being five feet seven
inches.

We shall pass Caleb’s youthful skirmishes with unknown antagonists,
referring the curious to “Boxiana,” vol. i., pp. 301‒307. The first of
these, we are told, was with “one Gregory,” in 1786, and then follow
flourishing accounts of victories over Jem Jones, Arthur Smith, Jerry
Matthews, Bill Berks, Wadham (a grenadier), Kelly, “one Jones,” a
fourteen stone coal-whipper, Bob Parker, etc., etc., all of which “the
historian,” fancifully embellishes with such characteristic touches as
would induce us to think that he had himself been eye witness and
reporter of the frays.

In 1792, on the 14th of May, we find Caleb’s first recorded battle. It
was with the well-known Tom (Paddington) Jones, at Hurley Bottom, after
the fight between Mendoza and Bill Warr. They fought for a purse of £20,
but after a game and even contest of half an hour, a dispute arose, and
the battle was declared “a draw.” They were each so satisfied with the
other’s goodness, that though they met for many long years afterwards at
sparring benefits, outside the ring as spectators and inside as seconds,
they never again held up naked fists as adversaries.[113]

After the great battle between Jem Belcher and Andrew Gamble, December
22, 1800, at Wimbledon Common, a purse of twenty guineas was contended
for. Kelly, a stalwart Irishman, under the patronage of Coady, “the
bruising publican,” and Burke (not Berks), offered himself. The reporter
says, “Caleb Baldwin, a dealer in greens, well-known among the
Westminster lads as a smart customer with the mufflers, accepted the
contest. Joe Ward and Elisha Crabbe, offered themselves as Caleb’s
seconds, and Tom Tring was his bottle-holder. They fought merrily twelve
rounds in fifteen minutes, when Paddy, who could not latterly get in a
blow, yielded to a hearty drubbing.”

In June, 1801, there is proof that Caleb was _semper paratus_, like
other heroes. He was enjoying himself at the Pewter Platter, in St. John
Street; Jackling, known as “Ginger,” brother of the renowned Tom
Johnson, was there, and spoke contemptuously of Caleb’s capabilities. A
quarrel was the result, and a challenge following, Caleb turned out
there and then. The paragraph writer says, “Jackling, alias Ginger, Tom
Johnson’s brother, having quarrelled with Caleb Baldwin, they fought a
severe battle, in which the pungency of Ginger was completely overcome
by the acrimony of his antagonist’s fist.”[114] This was thought smart
writing in those days.

After Jem Belcher, of whom Caleb was always an admiring follower, had
beaten the resolute Joe Berks, at Hurley Bottom, November 25th, 1801,
Lee, “the butcher,”[115] made his appearance, followed by Caleb Baldwin,
to decide their match for twenty guineas a side. Caleb was attended by
Paddington Jones, his old opponent, and Joe Ward; Lee by Maddox and
Seabrook. We preserve the report.

                               THE FIGHT.

            There was no time lost in setting-to, and for
            the first twelve rounds much science was
            displayed by the lighter combatant, “the
            Westminster Champion,” as he is now styled. He
            did not, however, much reduce Lee’s strength,
            who fought with determined resolution.

            13.—Caleb put in two straight hits through Lee’s
            guard; the second brought down the butcher.

            14.—Lee rallied manfully. He got in the first
            blow; but Caleb stepped in, put on the lock,
            and threw him neatly. (Great shouting from the
            “Neddy” drivers.)

            15.—Caleb gave his adversary a clean cross
            buttock.

            16.—Lee had the advantage in hitting; he struck
            his opponent three severe blows, and brought him
            down.

            17.—In this round Caleb displayed most excellent
            skill, strength, and activity. At the
            commencement six hard blows were struck, after
            which Caleb, fastening on his antagonist, threw
            him completely over his head. Lee’s back
            rebounded from the stage with great violence,
            and he lay panting on the ground.

            18.—Caleb slipped and fell, upon the system of
            husbanding his strength.

            19.—Caleb gave his antagonist a heavy knock-down
            blow.

            20.—Lee fought this round with determined
            courage and great skill, but still Caleb had the
            best of it.

            21.—Caleb gave another knock-down blow, and Lee,
            who was completely exhausted, gave in.

            The contest lasted twenty-three minutes, and
            afforded more amusement and a greater display of
            science than even the preceding grand affair
            between Belcher and Berks.

            Lord Say and Sele, The Hon. Berkeley Craven, Sir
            Thomas Apreece, Colonel Montgomery, Captain
            Taylor, and many other distinguished amateurs
            were present.

Jack O’Donnell having beaten Pardo Wilson (Belcher’s brother-in-law),
and Smith, was now the recognised “Irish champion,” and he challenged
Caleb for fifty guineas a-side, who, nothing loth, entered into articles
of agreement. As there was great apprehension that the Bow Street
authorities would interfere, the matter was “kept dark,” and on Friday
morning, October 21st, 1803, the men and their friends started early by
different roads out of town. Wimbledon Common, in the vicinity of that
interesting landmark of civilisation,[116] the gibbet of the notorious
Jerry Abershaw, was the rendezvous, and there at twelve o’clock all had
arrived. Vehicles of every description and thousands of spectators and
equestrians thronged the valley, a ring was quickly formed, and at
half-past twelve O’Donnell entered, followed by the veteran Caleb. The
men immediately threw themselves in attitude. Odds six to four on
Baldwin, readily taken.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—O’Donnell put in the first blow in his
            adversary’s side. Caleb returned dexterously
            right and left, then closing, threw his
            opponent.

            2.—O’Donnell fought very shy, but Caleb stood to
            his man, followed him round the ring, and put in
            several severe blows, which were well parried by
            his adversary. It was here thought O’Donnell was
            endeavouring to wind Caleb; however, he did not
            fall off in putting in his blows, and having got
            O’Donnell to the edge of the ring, put in a most
            severe body hit, which brought him down.

            3.—At the commencement of this round O’Donnell
            appeared sick from the effects of the last blow,
            which Caleb perceiving, stuck to him closely,
            not allowing him even time for breath. O’Donnell
            tried to avoid him, but failed. They closed, and
            Caleb again threw him. (Odds had now risen as
            high as four to one.)

            4.—This round was well contested by both
            combatants. O’Donnell recovered, came up in
            better spirits, and fought more manfully. He put
            in several good blows, and cut his opponent over
            the right eye; they closed, and O’Donnell for
            the first time threw Caleb.

            5.—The sun now was extremely troublesome,
            particularly to O’Donnell, who shifted and
            tried hard to get the shady side; but Caleb’s
            cleverness was not to be out done. Some severe
            straight-forward blows were given on both
            sides; O’Donnell’s last bringing his opponent
            down a second time. His friends now again
            began to hope for success, and odds triflingly
            changed.

            6.—O’Donnell came up smiling; Caleb made several
            blows tell. A blow from O’Donnell made him
            stagger, on which he rushed in, and with great
            force knocked down O’Donnell.

            7.—This, although not the last, was the decisive
            round. O’Donnell set-to with great spirits,
            and displayed great courage and excellent
            science. Caleb made several feints, which by
            many were considered weakness, and the odds fell
            back to even betting. Caleb, however, caught
            his opponent off his guard, and planted a most
            severe blow in his kidneys,[117] which had a
            most visible effect. They dosed, and O’Donnell
            was thrown.

            8.—The effects of the blow, so powerfully put in
            by Caleb in the last round, were so great, that
            O’Donnell was scarcely able to stand. Caleb
            showed as much fight as ever, followed him up,
            put in several good blows, and concluded both
            the round and the battle by giving his opponent
            a violent cross buttock.

            O’Donnell was immediately led off the ground
            greatly distressed, both by the kidney blow and
            the last fall; he was placed in a hackney coach,
            but his friends neglected him even more than
            Berks’ did; they left him there without any
            assistance for nearly two hours, while Caleb was
            carried in triumph round the ground, and also
            until the termination of another battle, which
            consisted of forty rounds.

            This match was considered extremely even as to
            the skill and strength of the combatants. Both
            had fought numerous minor battles, and two or
            three regular ring-fights, in which neither of
            them had been beaten. Caleb being some years
            older than his opponent, O’Donnell’s youth was
            considered to be an equivalent for Caleb’s more
            practical science.

The fight above alluded to was between one Beckley, known as “Blue
Breeches,” and Clarke, which ended in a draw after fifty minutes’
desperate milling.

In November of the same year, O’Donnell again challenged Caleb for 100
guineas. His friends declared the last fight a mistake, the next they
said would be “the real thing.” This, however, came to nothing, and
Caleb, who had long wished to try his skill with the Jewish phenomenon,
Dutch Sam, was backed by his friends, for fifty guineas; and Tuesday,
August 7th, 1804, fixed for the combat, which took place at Wood Green,
near Hornsey. (See Life of DUTCH SAM, _ante_, Chapter V.)

This first defeat of Caleb was by no means a dishonourable one, and when
in the October following a second match was made, Sam, to the surprise
of the amateurs, declined to go on with it, and forfeited his deposit.
Caleb’s friends maintained that he was out of condition on the first
occasion.

On Tuesday, August 6th, 1805, the long expected battle between Bill Ryan
and Caleb Baldwin crowded the Lewisham side of Blackheath with thousands
of eager spectators. The seat of combat was not determined until very
late on the Monday night, and many who expected it to be at Wilsden
Green, travelled there only to be disappointed. A ring having been
formed, about eleven o’clock the combatants entered, Ryan attended by
Tom Jones and Puss, and Caleb by Pearce, the Game Chicken, and Mountain.
Odds were rather in favour of Caleb, but in general betting was even.
After the usual ceremony they set-to.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Much sparring; Caleb at last put in two
            good blows right and left. They closed, and both
            fell.

            2.—Caleb made a hit, and while closing, Ryan
            threw in a severe blow, and cut his opponent in
            the face; closed, and both fell.

            3.—Caleb threw in some tolerably clean body
            blows. Ryan ran in and threw him.

            4.—Caleb put in a blow over Ryan’s eye; it soon
            swelled and became black. Caleb terminated the
            round by giving Ryan a complete somersault. The
            advantage was all with Baldwin.

            5.—A good round. Caleb held his lead by several
            sharp blows. They closed, and after a sharp
            struggle Caleb was uppermost. (Shouts for
            Westminster.)

            10.—Every move in favour of Caleb, who was the
            quicker and more resolute fighter.

            11.—Caleb slipped in, hit, and slipped out
            again. Ryan followed him, when Caleb hit up,
            closed, and threw him another swinging fall.

            12.—Slow sparring. Both blowing, and Ryan very
            shy of his man. Caleb put in a tremendous blow
            upon his opponent’s head, and brought him down.

            13.—Caleb with great dexterity repeated his
            blow, and Ryan fell again. (Odds were now five
            to one in favour of Caleb.)

            15.—Ryan very shy. He, however, rallied, and
            threw in several very good hits. Caleb now began
            to show exhaustion, as was somewhat expected
            from his violent exertion.

            16.—Ryan began to show to advantage. Caleb was
            fatigued, and Ryan’s superior strength appeared
            manifest.

            21.—Every round now added fresh superiority to
            Ryan, who, although much fatigued, threw his
            opponent every time.

            22.—This was the last round in which there was
            any fighting. Caleb summoned all his courage,
            put in some well-aimed blows, but was too weak
            to withstand his opponent, who again brought him
            down.

            26.—Caleb fell, almost exhausted, and while
            falling Ryan hit him. The ring was instantly
            broken in, and a cry of “Foul” raised. It was
            clearly a mere dodge to save the stakes. But
            while the connoisseurs were debating the
            question, a party of dragoons arrived and
            dispersed the assemblage. The combatants, both
            pretty well thrashed, were put together in a
            postchaise and brought to London. The fight had
            lasted half an hour, when this wrangle took
            place.

At a subsequent meeting it was agreed that the military interference
made it a drawn battle. Ryan declined a renewal of the match.

This may be considered the legitimate wind-up of Caleb’s professional
career as a pugilist, after twenty years of ring practice (1786‒1806),
with one solitary defeat, and that at the hands of the renowned Dutch
Sam. From this time Caleb figures as one of the most active and
interesting characters in “the Fancy,” and the liveliest leader and
councillor of the followers of the ring. For years he was in his sphere
a sort of pugilistic Palmerston in the Westminster purlieus of Downing
Street. His courage was never doubted; his science was unquestionable;
his honesty never impeached, and his fun was perennial. Caleb, though
never quarrelsome, was always ready upon warrantable occasion to “sport
his canvas.” Few harder hitters were to be found, and many first-rate
pupils were turned out by him. In his own dominion, on the downs of
Tothill, his opinions upon sporting matters commanded deference, and
Caleb’s judgment in matters concerning man, dog, badger, or bull, was
almost without appeal.

In May, 1816, a curious day’s “outing” took place, to witness a battle
between a couple of “darkies,” hight Stephenson[118] and Sam Robinson;
“Ethiopian” bruisers, like Ethiopian serenaders, being now in fashion,
from the exploits of such men as Richmond, Kendrick, and Co. To Coombe
Warren, also, one Bristow, known as “Young Massa,” in the service of a
sporting gentleman, had repaired. Caleb as one of the M.C.’s was beating
out the ring, when he applied the thong to Young Massa, who, new to his
freedom and unacquainted with the person and privileges of Caleb as a
public functionary, retorted by a couple of such unexpected facers as
drew “the veteran’s” cork. A row was the immediate consequence, in which
Caleb proposed to cast the question of his ring privilege to the winds,
and then and there vindicate his insulted manhood. He was at length
indulged. The two principals actually quitted the ropes and Caleb was
“indulged” with “a round or two,” as he expressed it. Bill Richmond
hereon offered to pick up Bristow, and Harry Harmer valeted the Veteran.
The affair showed that Young Massa was not to be easily disposed of. The
report is Pierce Egan’s, though it is not even alluded to in his life of
Caleb Baldwin.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Caleb seemed angry, and eager to check
            this daring novice for his presumption, set-to
            with great courage, and wished to mill off hand
            this sprig of colour, but Massa laughed at the
            attempt, returned hit for hit, and in closing
            brought the veteran down.

            2.—Young Massa not only showed pluck, but his
            attitudes were imposing, and the champion of
            Westminster did not know what to make of him.
            Caleb hit out viciously, which the black
            returned on the nob of his opponent, and the
            veteran, in a close, went down undermost.

            3.—On setting-to Massa put in a severe facer,
            and followed it up so strongly, that the
            champion was fairly hit down.

            4.—Young Blacky, full of gaiety, pointed his
            finger at the veteran, by way of derision, and
            kept moving with great agility that he might not
            be smashed by the superior science he had to
            contend against. Some blows were exchanged,
            and, in closing, this game sprig fibbed Caleb
            severely, and brought him again down undermost.

            5.—The youth of the Black encouraged him to
            proceed, and he hit out rather in a scientific
            style, as if he had taken lessons. Caleb seemed
            not able to stop him, and the veteran’s sight
            appeared somewhat defective, as he generally hit
            short. In closing, as before, the Black fibbed
            away, and Caleb went down undermost.

            6.—Caleb, on his guard, had the best of this
            round, and, in closing, turned the novice down.

            7.—Young Massa seemed an apt scholar, quite on
            the alert, and, under the guidance of such a
            second as Richmond he stood more than a chance
            to do something. He put in three severe hits,
            got away cleverly, and succeeded finally in
            bringing down his man.

            8.—Caleb’s nob was properly crimsoned, and in
            every round he received more than he gave. His
            once acknowledged talent for serving out
            appeared to be gone by, or else this almost
            conqueror of Dutch Sam could never have suffered
            so many rounds to have passed over to his
            evident disadvantage. The young Black had too
            much gaiety for him, and he threw the champion
            against his will.

            9.—Caleb got a little into work, and gave
            Massa a small taste; but he seemed to make no
            impression; however, he ultimately brought the
            young one down.

            10.—This was a sort of scuffling round, but
            Caleb had the best of the throw.

            11.—Blacky ran in with great velocity, and
            gave his opponent a tremendous body blow—a
            perfect winder! It was heard at some distance,
            and the champion felt not a little surprised.
            In closing, they both went down.

            12.—Appearances were most certainly against
            Caleb; but yet some trifling odds were betted,
            from what he had formerly done, that the old
            trump would be able to come through the piece.
            At Caleb’s age, the Black must have been
            considered a dangerous unlucky customer to have
            fallen in his way, so unprepared as he then was.
            It was altogether an unfortunate turn up for the
            veteran; and even the terrors of the ring did
            not in the least abate the confidence of the
            young adventurer, who hit out and faced his man
            more like an experienced boxer than a raw chance
            miller. Caleb again found himself on the ground.

            13 and last.—Caleb, full of pluck, seemed to
            rally all his capabilities into action, and
            rushed toward the scratch with all the eagerness
            of a Richard, mentally exclaiming—“Perish the
            thought; ne’er be it said that Caleb, the
            renowned Caleb Baldwin, of milling notoriety,
            ever surrendered his hard-earned laurels into
            the hands of a mere strippling novice, and that
            too a Black!” The champion put in some of his
            teasers, and, it is but justice to observe,
            that the young one was not a jot behind hand
            in returning some good hits. It was a milling
            round altogether, but, in closing, Caleb was
            again down. Some interference now appeared to
            be made, and the darling fame of Caleb was
            rescued from the tottering brink of destruction
            by Blacky giving in, to the great astonishment
            and surprise of the spectators, as the young
            one had only a very slight scratch over one
            of his eyes. Caleb was thus enabled once more
            to return to his dominions as the conquering
            hero. Young Blacky, upon being persuaded to
            relinquish the contest, received the sum of
            30_s._, collected by subscription, as a reward
            for the pluck he manifested in daring to enter
            the lists with so renowned a punisher as Caleb
            Ramsbottom Baldwin.[119]

Caleb henceforth wisely confined himself to seconding and ring-keeping,
in which his services were conspicuous and constant. On May 15, 1817, we
find a joint benefit announced for two veterans, Caleb Baldwin and “Old
Joe Ward,” now in his seventy-second year. Cribb and Tom Oliver sparred
on this occasion. The wind-up was between Caleb and Paddington Jones.
“The first-named old trump prefaced his set-to by informing the company
that twenty-eight years ago he and his friend Jones fought a tough fight
together and had been ‘pals’ ever since. (Applause.) Caleb still retains
considerable energy, and the display of the ‘old school’ was very
creditable. Two sons of Caleb also exhibited their skill with the
gloves, the second with young Perry, who ‘bested’ him. Caleb’s
first-born set-to with Jack Martin, but his pipes were out of order and
he took off the gloves as quickly as he well could. They will not
continue the renown of the father’s name.”

We find Caleb’s name in numerous benefits for his brother pugilists, and
in 1819 (Sept. 16), he advertised a benefit at the “Minor Theatre in the
Strand.” As these announcements occasionally possess a curiosity from
their scarcity, we subjoin one of Caleb’s as a specimen:—

                             CALEB BALDWIN
  Respectfully acquaints his Friends and the Public, he would be proud
                           to see them at the
                     MINOR THEATRE, IN THE STRAND,
                  _On Thursday, 16th September, 1819_,

  Where he intends to exhibit with one of the Primest Little
  Nonpareils[120] of the Day; and as several of the First-rate
  Pugilists have promised to meet him there, he anticipates they will
  receive a High Treat.

  The Cognoscenti, the Lads of the Turf, and the Fancy in general,
  cannot obliterate from memory the amusement they have enjoyed from
  the able, spirited, and active manner in which Caleb always kept the
  Ring for them on Days of Sport; nor can it be forgotten, he has
  fought upwards of Thirty Battles, and was never beat, previous to
  that unsuccessful set-to with Dutch Sam.

  This true-bottomed Champion of his day once moved in comfort and
  prosperity; and we have to deplore that the case is now altered. We
  trust a Real-bred Sportsman will never see a Worthy Veteran of the
  Turf in Distress, and shut up that spirit which should distinguish
  such a character. The single reflection of

  A THOROUGH-BRED WESTMINSTER SCHOLAR AT LOW-WATER MARK, AND WANTING A
                                 LIFT,

  will require no further invitation, nor suffer exertion to sleep on
  the subject.

             _The Amusements will commence at Two O’clock._
                   Tickets, 3_s._ each, to be had at

  Tom Oliver’s, Great Peter Street, Westminster; Randall’s, Chancery
  Lane; Harmer’s, Plough, Smithfield; T. Cribb’s, Mountain’s, St.
  Martin’s Lane; and W. Austin’s, the Black-a-Moor’s Head, Whitcomb
  Street.

On the 8th November, 1827, the veteran Caleb received his last “warning
to quit,” and shuffled off this mortal coil, in the spot of his
nativity, and many an “old one” recounted his early deeds, with
disparaging reflections (not always deserved) on the young ’uns who were
likely to succeed him.

                        APPENDIX TO PERIOD III.

                        ANDREW GAMBLE—1792‒1800.

Andrew Gamble, another of Pierce Egan’s Irish “champions,” appears to
have been a powerful, game, hard-hitting, clumsy, knock-kneed Hibernian,
of six feet in stature, and a strong fighting instinct. His eulogium may
be read in “Boxiana,” vol. i., pp. 239 et seq. We here give what we can
find in the contemporary prints.

“Andrew Gamble,” says “Pancratia,” (p. 132), “was born in Dublin in
1771, apprenticed to a stonemason, and early displayed a propensity for
the pugilistic art. He is about six feet in height and has contested
many battles, particularly those with Stanyard in 1792;[121] with Jones,
in 1800; and with Jem Belcher.”

Gamble’s first appearance in the English ring was on the 5th September,
1792, at Bentley Green, nine miles from Colchester, which is thus
recorded:

“This day (Friday, September 5), Hooper, the tinman (See HOOPER,
_ante_), having beaten Bunner, of Colchester, the day previous, Ben
Stanyard, a pugilist from Birmingham, mounted the stage to box with
Andrew Gamble, an Irishman. Joe Ward seconded Stanyard, and Hooper was
his bottle-holder, looking little worse for his yesterday’s battle.
Gamble was seconded by one Williams, and had Ryan for his bottle-holder.
The stage was enlarged from eighteen to twenty-one feet square. The spot
was Bentley Green, nine miles from Colchester.

“At first setting-to odds were greatly in favour of Gamble, till after
some few rounds, when they became even, but Gamble’s superiority gained
the bets in his favour five to four, and they again changed to the same
height in favour of Stanyard, during the last six rounds, who then
unfortunately made a foul blow at his adversary, which every one
considered would have terminated the battle. Gamble’s friends, however,
advising him to continue the contest, they fought another round, at the
end of which Stanyard fell and Gamble retired, declaring himself
victorious. Stanyard remained on the ground until his friends
triumphantly carried him away. The umpires, seconds, etc., had many
meetings, and it was at length declared a drawn battle. The contest was
well supported, the combatants having met nineteen times in twenty-five
minutes.

“To make amends for the disappointment, a bye-battle was fought between
two countrymen, and very well contested.”

For eight years we lose sight of Gamble, as a pugilist, until in July,
1800, we find him matched with Noah James,[122] the guardsman. The
battle is thus reported:—

“On Tuesday, July 1 (1800), a boxing match which had long been expected
was fought in a hollow near the foot of Abbershaw’s gibbet, on Wimbledon
Common, for 100 guineas, and bets to the amount of £5000, between Andrew
Gamble the Irish pugilist, and Noah James, formerly belonging to the
horseguards. Ben Stanyard, his old opponent, and now fast friend, was
Gamble’s second, and Jack Bartholomew his bottle-holder; Joe Ward
seconded James, and Hall was his bottle-holder.

“About ten o’clock the combatants set-to, when odds were six to four in
favour of James; they fought with astonishing fierceness and displayed
great science. In the twelfth round Gamble put in a severe blow in the
face of his antagonist, and cut his nose dreadfully; in the twentieth he
broke his collar-bone, and in the twenty-first his jaw bone; but
notwithstanding such a dreadful state of disablement, James fought four
rounds afterwards with determined courage, when he fell almost lifeless
on the stage.

“James was a Cheshire man, and had fought seventeen battles. He was
allowed to display more bottom than any other man. After this battle,
being given over by his medical attendants, and considering himself at
the last extremity, he sent for Gamble, and generously exchanged
forgiveness with the successful champion. Gamble, equally open hearted,
gave Mrs. James a very handsome present for the more comfortable support
of the unfortunate bruiser.”

This was Andrew Gamble’s best fight. His warm-hearted friends, now
overrating his capabilities, determined to match him with the best
English pugilist of the day, the young Bristol champion, Jem Belcher.
December 22nd, 1800, was fixed, and the friends of Gamble, having won
the choice of place, named the old hollow, by Abbershaw’s gibbet, on
Wimbledon Common, as the spot. How triumphantly he was thrashed may be
read in the memoir of Jem Belcher; what disgraceful abuse, and worse, he
received at the hands of “his enraged backers,” may be read in
“Boxiana,” p. 242. We have extracted it as a specimen of “history,”
omitting the small capitals, italics, and emphasised slang.

“Gamble’s being so soon deprived of his laurels, created the most
dreadful murmurings among his countrymen, many of whom were nearly
ruined from Gamble being defeated. St. Giles’s was in a complete uproar
upon this occasion, and the Paddies had not been so neatly cleaned out
since the days of the renowned hero Peter Corcoran! It proved a most
woeful day for the Irish indeed; the dealers in wild ducks had not a
feather left to fly with; the rabbit merchants were so reduced as to be
even without poles, and not a copper to go the next morning to market;
never were men so completely dished and done up. Andrew’s name had
hitherto been a tower of strength, he was the tight Irish boy, and the
darling of his country—but alas! the scene was changed, he was now
called a cur, an overgrown thing, a mere apology, and was in danger of
being tossed in a blanket by his enraged and disappointed backers.
Gamble, from this defeat, lost the warm hearts of the Paddies ever
afterwards. Gamble appeared truly contemptible in this fight, in
comparison with even the worst of his former displays—and it was the
opinion of the amateurs, that the evident superiority of Belcher
completely frightened all Gamble’s courage and science out of him.”

_Sic transit gloria_, etc.; Andrew Gamble appears to have returned to
Ireland, and probably to his laborious calling.

                      JACK BARTHOLOMEW—1795‒1800.

One of the true breed of old-school British boxers was Jack Bartholomew.
His game was undoubted and his style manly. His opponents, too, were the
very best men of their day, and if his career was not a brilliant one,
Jack was always highly esteemed by his backers, and reckoned a
formidable competitor.

Bartholomew was born at Brentford, Middlesex, in 1770, and early
convinced several of the amateurs in that neighbourhood of his gift of
hitting, activity, and courage. Jack Firby, who had earned the
unenviable cognomen of “the Young Ruffian,” from his conquest of
Symonds, “the Old Ruffian,” on the 2nd August, 1791, was picked out as a
trial-horse for young Jack, in the regular P.R. A stake of ten guineas
seems to have tempted Firby to tackle the youngster. The fight came off
on Hounslow Heath, near Bartholomew’s native spot. Firby, who weighed
fifteen stone, and stood six feet, considered the stakes “a gift.” Jack,
at this time was nearly twelve stone, and stood five feet nine inches
and a half, a height and weight which the best authorities have
considered “big enough for anything on two legs.” Firby seems to have
considered his fame involved, for he fought with unusual desperation,
but the youth was not to be “ruffianised” out of his skill and coolness;
and after a desperate fight of fifty minutes, in which his firmness and
manly intrepidity were finely contrasted with the opponent’s impetuous
assaults, Firby was beaten blind, and his “gluttony perfectly
satisfied.”

Bill Wood, the coachman, then in the height of his fame, was next
matched with Bartholomew. They met on a stage between Ealing and Harrow,
January 30, 1797. Bartholomew had the battle declared against him for a
foul blow. (See WOOD, _ante_, Appendix to Period II.)

Tom Owen’s renown in conquering Hooper, the tinman, induced him to issue
a challenge to Jack; it was accepted, and they met for a stake of fifty
guineas, on Sunbury Common, August 22, 1797. Five and six to four were
the current odds in favour of Owen, who was the bigger and stronger man,
forced the fighting desperately, but he could not break Jack’s guard,
and was so heavily punished that in about half an hour he was all
abroad, and at the end of the twenty-sixth round, fought in thirty
minutes, he was compelled to give in, after a fight of unusual rapidity
and punishment.

Bartholomew now met a master of the art in the person of Jem Belcher,
with whom he had the honour of fighting a drawn battle, on the 15th
August, 1799. His final defeat by the champion, May 15th, 1800, was also
without disgrace. (See memoir of JEM BELCHER.)

During the period of his active life in the ring, scarcely a battle of
note happened without the name of Bartholomew appearing as second or
bottleholder. Shortly after his last defeat by Belcher, however, Jack
seems to have been attacked by liver disease. He died, after a few
weeks’ illness, at his lodgings in the Almonry, Westminster, July 14,
1803. He left a particular request that his body might be opened
(against which practice an ignorant prejudice then prevailed). A _post
mortem_ examination took place, and a considerable scirrhous enlargement
of the liver was found. He further requested that his grave should be
“as near as possible to St. Margaret’s watch-house.” His funeral was
attended by a considerable number of his brother pugilists.

                     JACK O’DONNELL—1802‒1806.[123]

John O’Donnell, a native of the sister isle, for a short period was much
overrated and unduly puffed by what Pierce Egan calls his “warm-hearted
countrymen.” We know nothing more of him than that shortly after his
appearance in ring circles he was matched with Pardo Wilson, a relative
of the celebrated Belcher’s, on Tuesday, October 26th, 1802. The
extravagant estimate of “the historian” does not seem to have been
shared by the backers and friends of Wilson, as Pardo, whose last and
only other fight fourteen years before, had been with Solly Sodicky, a
Jew, on that occasion suffered defeat (February 11th, 1789). The ground
was Wormwood Scrubbs, on the bank of the Paddington Canal, four miles
from Hyde Park. The stake was twenty guineas aside. We copy the report:—

“Wilson was thirty-five years of age, and O’Donnell, who had the
advantage in height and weight, was said to be only eighteen.

“About one o’clock a ring was attempted to be formed, but such numbers
of people had assembled that it was not without the greatest trouble it
was accomplished by two, when the combatants entered. O’Donnell was
accompanied by two of his own countrymen; Wilson, by Belcher, his
brother-in-law, for his second, and Tom Jones bottle-holder. They began
to strip immediately, both appeared in high spirits and eyed each other
minutely. When ready the seconds proposed that they should toss up for
the side of the ring, each being desirous to avoid the sun. This was
agreed to, and the advantage gained by Wilson, in whose favour, on
account of his freshness, bets appeared to be. At five minutes past two
o’clock, after the usual ceremony, the heroes set-to.”

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Both displayed good attitude, and kept
            a strong guard for some time. O’Donnell put
            in the first blow, which Wilson parried and
            returned. Both fell, O’Donnell having received a
            blow on the lip, which bled a little.

            2.—Wilson made a feint but his opponent struck
            him at the same time. A few sharp blows passed,
            when O’Donnell gave Wilson a cross buttock.

            3.—In this round O’Donnell displayed great
            strength. Wilson fell back, and with success
            chopped at his adversary as he came up to him.
            Some hard fighting ensued, and O’Donnell knocked
            down his antagonist. (Bets now changed in favour
            of the Irishman.)

            4.—This round began with some good
            straight-forward fighting. O’Donnell aimed
            several blows at the body, which Wilson
            dexterously stopped and returned. O’Donnell,
            however, followed him up until he fell. Wilson’s
            strength appeared to be failing.

            5.—Wilson seemed afraid of his opponent, and
            manœuvred round the ring. O’Donnell, however,
            stuck close to him, and put in the first blow,
            and Wilson, though apparently not hurt, fell.
            (Odds were now three to one in favour of
            O’Donnell.)

            6.—Wilson at the beginning put in a successful
            blow at O’Donnell’s head; after which O’Donnell
            gave a body blow, and brought down his
            adversary. It now appeared settled, but Wilson’s
            friends persisted he had not yet shown any of
            his best play.

            7.—Wilson now tried to alter his mode of
            fighting, by allowing O’Donnell to strike,
            stopping the blow, and returning it with the
            same arm; but in this he failed, his returns not
            being successful. O’Donnell followed up, and
            again brought down his opponent.

            8.—Immediately they were up, they set-to with
            great eagerness, and displayed some excellent
            straight-forward fighting. Wilson appeared to
            recruit his strength, but it soon failed again,
            and he fell.

            9.—O’Donnell struck his adversary on the temple;
            Wilson reeled, and receiving another blow, fell
            again.

            10.—This was a very short round, Wilson received
            a violent blow on the ribs, reeled, and fell
            against the people, when Belcher advised him to
            give in, to which he consented.

            O’Donnell being declared the conqueror, his
            countrymen, of whom there were numbers present,
            mounted him on their shoulders, and carried him
            out in triumph.

We think the reader will agree that there is nothing in this victory
over an old stale man to call for the epithets of “eminent,”
“distinguished,” etc., used in “Boxiana,” nor that the Irishman, should
“be so raised in the eyes of his countrymen as their future champion,
reminding them of those proud days when Peter Corcoran flourished in all
his greatness!” But let that pass.

On Monday, November 15th, 1802, a match having been made between
O’Donnell, and one Smith, a boot closer, they met at Wormwood Scrubbs,
to decide the contest, for twenty guineas. Lenox seconded O’Donnell, and
one Anderson picked up Smith.

After some trouble, and by the aid of Caleb Baldwin, who had recently
beaten Jack Lee, at Hurley Bottom, a ring was formed, the combatants
entered, and five minutes after two o’clock set-to.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Much sparring. O’Donnell put in the
            first blow, a straight-forward hit with his
            right hand, and struck his adversary under the
            left eye. Smith aimed a blow at his opponent’s
            head, which O’Donnell caught with his hand,
            and returned it with a blow on the side of the
            head. They closed and fell, O’Donnell having
            the advantage, being uppermost.

            2.—Much sparring. Smith put in two body blows,
            but slight; they closed and fell. Smith under
            again.

            3.—Smith gave his antagonist a severe knock-down
            blow, by which he fell.

            4.—Both shifted. O’Donnell displayed good
            science. When retreating, and followed up by
            Smith, he put in several well planted body
            blows, and brought Smith down; but in falling,
            Smith struck a tremendous blow in the face of
            his opponent.

            5.—Smith struck O’Donnell on the jaw. The round
            was well contested, several severe blows being
            exchanged, by one of which O’Donnell fell.

            6.—Smith being off his guard, O’Donnell put in
            a severe right-handed blow on the head, but
            Smith quickly recovered; they closed and fell.
            O’Donnell beginning to appear weak, odds were
            five to four in Smith’s favour.

            7.—This was a hard round. Smith threw in three
            uncommonly clean blows; O’Donnell closed, and
            both fell, Smith under.

            8.—A great deal of hard fighting, but O’Donnell
            shifted. They closed and fell, O’Donnell under.
            (Bets still remained five to four on Smith.)

            9.—O’Donnell had the best of this round, put in
            most blows. Smith, in striking, slipped and
            fell.

            10.—O’Donnell seemed endeavouring to rally his
            courage and irritate his adversary, by pointing
            and smiling; Smith, however, put in some severe
            blows. They closed, fell, and O’Donnell was
            again under. (Bets now rose two to one in favour
            of Smith.)

            11.—It was some time before any blows were
            struck, both shifting. They closed, and
            O’Donnell gave his antagonist a cross buttock,
            something in the Belcher style.

            12.—O’Donnell evidently mended; both fought
            well. They closed, and Smith fell under. (Odds
            still were six to four in favour of Smith.)

            13.—Smith threw in two severe blows with great
            dexterity, one in the face and the other in the
            pit of the stomach, by which O’Donnell fell;
            while going, Smith tried to give him a cross
            buttock, but failed.

            14.—Both put in some hard blows, but O’Donnell
            had the advantage. Smith fell.

            15.—In O’Donnell’s favour.

            16.—Both shifted; much sparring. Smith fell, but
            still had the best of the round.

            17.—Smith, in retreating, fell; no blows struck.

            18.—This round was very short, but in favour of
            O’Donnell. Smith fell by a blow.

            19.—After a few tolerably hard blows were
            exchanged, Smith struck O’Donnell with great
            force on the left side of the head; they then
            closed, and Smith fell under.

            20.—At the end of this round Smith had a
            tremendous fall; O’Donnell also fell on him with
            great violence.

            21.—Both fought hard, but O’Donnell brought down
            his adversary. (Bets now became even.)

            22.—O’Donnell put in a severe blow on the side
            of the head; Smith slipped and fell. After
            fighting these twenty-two rounds, neither
            displayed much external injury, excepting the
            black eye Smith got in the first round. (This
            does not say much for either of the men’s gift
            of hitting.)

            23.—After much sparring and shifting O’Donnell
            brought his opponent down. (Odds had now changed
            in favour of O’Donnell.)

            24.—Smith had the best of this round. After
            several hard blows had been exchanged,
            O’Donnell, in making a hit, slipped, fell
            forwards, and pitched upon his head.

            25.—In this round O’Donnell displayed great
            activity, and by a well-directed blow brought
            down his opponent.

            26.—Smith put in some good body blows, and
            O’Donnell fell.

            27.—In this round the greatest science was
            displayed by both parties. Some blows were well
            struck, in which Smith had the advantage. They
            closed and fell, Smith under.

            28.—This round was equal, if not superior, to
            the last in scientific display. Smith aimed all
            his blows at the head, and O’Donnell at the
            body, by which Smith had the advantage. They
            closed and fell, Smith being under again.

            29.—Here O’Donnell manifestly obtained great
            advantage; Smith fell. (Odds now rose five to
            four in favour of O’Donnell.)

            33.—In this round O’Donnell showed still greater
            superiority. He put in several very severe blows
            about the ribs, and as his antagonist was
            retreating, he struck him in the face and
            brought him down.

            34 to 37.—In every round Smith fell. (Odds rose
            six to four on O’Donnell.)

            38.—O’Donnell struck Smith in the pit of the
            stomach, and he fell. This blow thoroughly
            winded him, and it was supposed the battle would
            have been finished; but Smith by his proper time
            came up again.

            39 to 43.—All these rounds were very short, and
            O’Donnell evidently had the advantage.

            44.—O’Donnell, from having continually
            throughout the combat used his right hand, had
            severely strained it, and it was expected that
            this circumstance would have obliged him to give
            in, but dexterously putting in a blow with the
            left hand, he brought down his adversary.

            45.—O’Donnell in this round repeated his winding
            dose in the stomach, which undoubtedly decided
            the battle, for Smith never afterwards struck
            any blow of consequence.

            The 48th round decided the contest in favour
            of the Hibernian, Smith being almost too much
            exhausted to support his guard. O’Donnell by
            a dreadful blow brought him down, when he
            immediately gave in, after a contest of one hour
            and twenty minutes. O’Donnell throughout the
            battle had constantly struck his antagonist
            on the left ribs, which part, when the battle
            ceased, was greatly swelled and bruised.

            Coady, Gamble, Berks, Belcher, Wood, and many
            professors of the art were present. O’Donnell’s
            countrymen carried him home in triumph, exulting
            in his glory.

O’Donnell’s game, if not his skill, or his capabilities for punishing,
was fully established by this encounter, and he was backed to fight one
Henigan. The miscarriage of this event may be read in the subjoined
paragraph:—“Tuesday, the 18th of January, 1803, was the day determined
upon for the decision of a pugilistic contest between O’Donnell, who was
now considered by the Irish as their champion, and the restorer of their
fame in the noble science of pugilism, and one Henigan, a new candidate
of bruising celebrity, brought forward and matched by Jackling, the
brother-in-law of the well-known and lamented Tom Johnson. On the night
before, however, both these heroes, notwithstanding they each boasted
strength in the fore paw, felt somewhat confused by a visit from
Armstrong, who without much ceremony conveyed them to Worship Street,
and bound them in sureties of £400 to keep the peace for six months.
O’Donnell on hearing this considered the fight at an end, but Henigan
fearing lest such a restriction might blast his rising genius,
determined to run all risks, and accordingly repaired to Dulwich, the
appointed Campus Martius. His opponent, however, was not there, and the
travellers returned with great chagrin depicted in their countenances.”

O’Donnell’s next opponent was the well-known Caleb Baldwin; but here his
friends had made a mistake. He was polished off triumphantly (October
13th, 1803), by the Westminster hero. (See CALEB BALDWIN, _ante_, p.
213.) Pierce Egan thus pathetically records this defeat:—“O’DONNELL was
matched against _Caleb Baldwin_, but being defeated—MARK THE
DIFFERENCE!!!—_No smiles! no shouts! no shoulders offered to support the
drooping hero!_ but he was placed in a hackney coach, to groan and
reflect upon the reverse of fortune! Any further comment is
unnecessary!!!” With this we fully agree. Where were the “warm-hearted
countrymen?”

O’Donnell having some altercation at Belcher’s about his defeat of Pardo
Wilson, a challenge was the result. On this occasion O’Donnell, who is
styled by Pierce “the celebrated Irish hero,” embraced the opportunity
of meeting Tom for a subscription purse of twenty guineas, at
Shepperton, Surrey, April 17, 1805, when he was thoroughly thrashed in
fifteen rounds.[124]

A big fellow of the name of Emery, who, we learn incidentally, had on a
former occasion beaten O’Donnell, was challenged by him for fifty
guineas, and the challenge accepted. We copy the report:—

“On Tuesday, December 3rd (1805), a battle was fought in the Five
Fields, Chelsea, between O’Donnell, the Irish bruiser, and a man of the
name of Emery, for a subscription purse. The combatants had some time
since quarrelled, when Emery being the bigger man, and O’Donnell out of
health, he had an easy conquest, but the result of this battle proved a
salutary warning to those who under the conceit of superior strength
presume to try conclusions against practised skill.

“A ring having been formed at two o’clock, the combatants entered; Tom
Blake (Tom Tough), and Bill Ryan seconded O’Donnell; Emery was handled
by Paddington Jones and Wight.

“On stripping Emery showed such astonishing muscle that he appeared
capable of seizing his opponent in his arms and carrying him off. He was
not only much taller, but two stone heavier than O’Donnell, and among
the crowd two to one was betted in his favour, despite a partisanship
for the lesser man.

“At setting-to Emery showed great confidence, and stood up in good
style. O’Donnell making a feint with his left hand, put in a severe blow
with his right on the mouth; they closed, and both fell. O’Donnell in
this round displayed all the advantage arising from skill; this he
supported, and at the end of five rounds bets became even. In the ninth
round Emery exerted his greatest powers, and some good blows were
exchanged, but O’Donnell hitting right and left, brought him down. Odds
two to one in favour of O’Donnell. The eleventh round Emery made a false
hit, and completely ran from his man, and in the following round fell
without a blow. O’Donnell continued to support a decided superiority,
and at the end of three quarters of an hour Emery resigned the contest,
carrying with him marks sufficient to deter him from again attempting to
meet a professional boxer.”

O’Donnell, taught by experience, did not fly at the highest game, and
avoided Dutch Sam and such professionals of the first rank. An aspirant
of the name of Wasdell, a weaver from Spitalfields, having acquired
great renown among the East Enders, his friends offered to back him for
twenty guineas a-side against O’Donnell. This was arranged, and Tuesday,
June 3rd, 1806, and Wilsden Green, near Hendon, named as the day and
place. At twelve the combatants entered the ring; O’Donnell was seconded
by John Gully and Bill Ryan; Wasdell by Rhodes and his brother. Seven to
four on O’Donnell.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Much sparring. Wasdell extremely
            awkward, hit short twice; in recovering his
            position, O’Donnell caught him in the body and
            knocked him down cleverly. (Three to one on
            O’Donnell.)

            2.—Wasdell made play pluckily, but O’Donnell met
            him and dropped him again.

            3.—Wasdell already was marked about the head. He
            made a plunging hit, but O’Donnell parried it,
            feinted, followed him, and hit him completely
            off his legs, when he set very quietly on his
            nether end on the grass for a few seconds, till
            taken to his corner.

            4.—Wasdell tried to catch hold of his opponent
            with his right hand. O’Donnell dropped in two
            sharp hits, the left at the head, the right at
            the body, which brought him to grief again.

            5.—The men closed. O’Donnell hit up in Wasdell’s
            face, and he was down again. (Any odds on
            O’Donnell.)

            6.—Wasdell, game, rushed in furiously, receiving
            a severe hit in the face, through his guard. The
            round ended by O’Donnell hitting him off his
            legs.

            7.—O’Donnell well on the body. The men closed,
            but broke away. Wasdell made another attempt
            to seize his opponent’s hand, but O’Donnell
            frustrated his endeavour by a severe blow.

            8.—Wasdell was quite done over. O’Donnell fought
            him as he liked, showing great good humour. He
            forbore hitting him hard, and pushed him down.

            9.—Wasdell would not be denied; he rushed
            in, when O’Donnell hit him severely right
            and left in the face, and he fell stupefied.
            On coming to, he acknowledged O’Donnell to
            be the conqueror.

            In weight and length of arm Wasdell had the
            advantage, but in science he was the merest
            novice, totally ignorant of the art of boxing,
            and scarcely as clever as may often be seen in a
            street fight.

On the 5th of June, only two days after the above battle, there was a
grand field day at Padnall Corner, on Epping Forest, wherein Jack Warr
and Quirk, for 100 guineas, and George Maddox and Coady having exhibited
their skill, Smith and O’Donnell entered the ropes for forty guineas
a-side. Of this the reporter simply says: “The third contest between
Smith and O’Donnell was utterly unworthy of detail. O’Donnell proved the
victor in five rounds.”

As upon principle throughout these biographies we have avoided the
_suggestio falsi_ so shall we eschew the _suppressio veri_. Jack
O’Donnell is one of the warning examples of the effects of dishonest
companions. He became connected with a gang of known “putters-up” of
robberies; among them two men named Samuel Carter and John Jose. With
these men he was apprehended for stealing from a public house kept by
Jonathan Kendall, bank notes to the amount of £60. At the September Old
Bailey Sessions, 1806, the three were found guilty of stealing, but “not
in the dwelling house.” The offence, however, was then capital, the
amount being above forty shillings, and they were sentenced to
transportation for life. Berks and another of the gang, James Travers,
who appears to have been Joe’s tempter, were convicted at the same
sessions. (See BERKS.)

BILL RYAN (SON OF MICHAEL RYAN, THE OPPONENT OF TOM JOHNSON)—1804‒1806.

This boxer had a short career, for a reason that will fully develope
itself in the next few paragraphs. He was the son of the “renowned first
champion of the same name.” Pierce Egan also informs us that Bill was “a
much superior fighter to his veteran sire,” which is an opinion worth as
much as you please, recollecting that Pierce was then placing his legs
under Tom Belcher’s mahogany, and Tom had been beaten by Young Ryan. As
the “historian” dismisses him in half a page of large print, we will
preserve what we find of him in contemporaries.

“On Friday, November 30, 1804, Tom Belcher, brother of the nonpareil
Jem, met Bill Ryan, son of Michael Ryan who fought Johnson, at Wilsden
Green, which has become a favourite spot for these encounters. By the
articles, Monday was fixed, but a difficulty having arisen, it was
postponed. At ten o’clock the combatants having arrived a ring was
formed. Belcher first, in high spirits, threw his hat into the ropes in
defiance. Ryan smiled at Tom’s style of bravado, and bowing to some
bystanding patrons, got within the enclosure. Belcher was attended by
George Maddox and Joe Norton, and Ryan seconded by Tom Jones and Dick
Whale. In a few minutes they set-to. Odds six to four in favour of
Belcher.”

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—No sparring. Several good hits put in
            and well stopped on both sides; they closed, and
            both fell.

            3 and 4.—Both rounds greatly in favour of Ryan.

            6.—This round was fought with determined
            courage. Belcher threw in a severe blow on his
            opponent’s temple, and brought him down. Ryan
            appeared a little distressed. (Seven to four on
            Belcher.)

            18.—No great alteration up to this round, which
            was admirably contested on both sides. Belcher
            struck his opponent very cleverly over the
            mouth. Ryan rallied, and put in a knock-down
            blow; Belcher fell and evinced great weakness.
            From this to the

            30th—Ryan supported his superiority, and the
            odds changed in his favour. Belcher’s friends
            now began greatly to despair of success, but
            still he displayed great science and steadiness.

            31‒34.—Every one of these rounds Ryan terminated
            by knocking down his opponent(?)

            35.—James Belcher came and whispered to his
            brother, who seemed to profit by his advice, and
            contested the two following rounds with great
            skill and determination, but at the end of the

            37th—He fell quite exhausted.

            38.—Belcher was, however, brought up to stand
            another round, and Ryan immediately knocked him
            down. At this moment the ring was broken, and
            Belcher’s friends declared the last blow was
            foul. Bob Watson challenged to fight any man
            who should dare to say the blow was not foul,
            but his bluster soon evaporated on Joe Ward’s
            displaying buff. The affair was left to the
            gentleman who held the purse, and he decided
            that Ryan had won it, as Belcher was beaten full
            a quarter of an hour before. Many of the dons of
            the first class were there, as Berks, Mendoza,
            Joe Ward, Bill Warr, Jem Belcher, Holmes, etc.

Bill was next matched with Caleb Baldwin, and fought him at Blackheath,
August 6, 1805. The interruption, the chances and changes of the fight,
and the decision, “a draw,” will be found under CALEB BALDWIN, Chapter
VII., Period III.

Tom Belcher, smarting under the sense of defeat, invited Bill to a
second trial, which took place at Laleham Burway, Surrey, June 4, 1806.
Ryan, although so young a man, was so given to drinking ardent spirits,
that he was already internally diseased. He was beaten in fifty minutes,
twenty-nine rounds, but not without much difficulty. (See life of TOM
BELCHER, _ante_.)

Two months afterwards Bill made his last appearance in the ring,
Tuesday, June 17, 1806, at Wilsden Green, where he gained by his
superior skill a victory over Clark, a clumsy boxer, with not a single
pretension beyond strength and pluck.

Ryan’s drunken habits now grew so rapidly upon him, that on June 23rd,
six days afterwards, he was expelled from the Fives Court, on the
occasion of the benefit of Gully and Elias Spray. Bill set-to with
Richmond, and afterwards made himself so offensive as to be formally
excluded. No dependence could be placed upon him for an hour, and
training was out of the question. He died in obscurity and poverty in
the winter of 1807, date not recorded.

                        ISAAC BITTOON—1801‒1804.

Isaac Bittoon, a Jew of great strength, coolness, some skill in
singlestick, fencing, and with the gloves, and well-known for more than
thirty years to the ring-going world of the last generation, deserves a
place in our Appendix for several reasons. In “Boxiana,” the error of
his having beaten Paddington Jones, July 13, 1801, originated, and has
been copied into all the chronologies.[125] His draw with Maddox and his
great battle with Bill Wood, also deserve preservation, and for these
reasons we have given the ponderous Isaac a niche in our history. The
first-mentioned affair, the draw with George Maddox, will be found in
the life of “the Veteran,” Chapter VI. of this Period. The second, his
game fight with Bill Wood, the coachman, shall be given from the report
of the day.

“A match having been for some time on the carpet, for fifty guineas,
between Isaac Bittoon[126] (the Jew), and Bill Wood, the coachman, the
officers were on the alert to find out the time and place of the
contest, but the amateurs, always awake, kept these points secret until
the night previous, when Wilsden Green, the spot where so much courage
had been displayed by Tom Tough[127] and Jack Holmes, some few months
ago, was settled as the Campus Martius; to prevent interruption it was
agreed the fight should take place at ten o’clock in the morning.
Accordingly on Monday, July 16, 1804, the admirers of pugilism were
active, and the field was filled at an early hour; a ring being formed,
at three quarters past ten the combatants entered. Wood immediately
began to strip, and appeared in excellent condition. Bittoon followed in
high spirits, and after the usual ceremonies they set-to, without any
very sanguine opinion being entertained on either side.”

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Wood beat down his antagonist’s guard,
            and put in two blows without any impression;
            Bittoon returned with his right hand, and some
            hard hitting followed by both. Wood had greatly
            the advantage in strength, beat Bittoon against
            the ropes, by which he became entangled. Here
            Wood put in some good blows, and Bittoon fell.

            2.—Wood put in the first blow again. Bittoon
            struck several good straight-forward blows,
            rallied, and a second time fell.

            3.—This round was very short. Wood fell, Bittoon
            gaining advantage.

            4.—Bittoon put in several good blows, but Wood
            rallied, and by superior strength drove him to
            one side of the ring, where he fell.

            5.—Much sparring at setting-to; both exchanged
            some severe hits. Wood bled freely, but rallied
            Bittoon again against the rope, and threw him.
            (Odds were now six to four in favour of Bittoon,
            for, although he so often fell, his blows did
            not disappoint in execution.)

            6.—The sun being troublesome to Bittoon, he
            manœuvred to change sides, and had somewhat
            succeeded, when Wood ran in and threw him.

            7.—Wood still kept the shady side, and with
            great exertion put in several blows which
            Bittoon vainly attempted to stop, and driving
            him again to the ropes, Bittoon fell. (Odds
            remained, however, in favour of Bittoon, who was
            still in good strength, while Wood displayed
            signs of fatigue.)

            8.—Wood immediately ran in, and closing, threw
            his opponent, who when down he patted on the
            head in triumph.

            9.—Bittoon on rising appeared greatly
            exasperated, ran in upon Wood with much fury,
            who struck him with his left hand, and brought
            him down. Wood for this gained great applause.

            10.—In this round Bittoon resumed his former
            temperance, rallied, and put in several good
            hits. Wood, while making a blow, slipped and
            turned round, during which his opponent took
            advantage of an opening, and threw in a severe
            body blow. Wood fell. (Odds still six to four on
            Bittoon.)

            11.—Wood showed somewhat fearful of encountering
            Bittoon’s hits, but, conscious of his strength,
            ran in and threw his opponent.

            15.—During the intermediate rounds there was
            some severe hitting, and Bittoon, by adopting
            the Mendoza style, stopping and returning with
            the same hand, was very successful. This round
            had nearly proved fatal to the Coachman; while
            rallying, Bittoon put in a most severe blow in
            the stomach, which brought him down, and he laid
            breathless for some time. A cry of “Time, time,”
            was vociferated, and he tried to conform to the
            rules of pugilism by returning in the half
            minute; this, however, he could not do, and the
            multitude considering the battle concluded,
            rushed in. This caused much confusion, and gave
            Wood opportunity for recovery, and the battle
            proceeded. (Odds were now ten to one on
            Bittoon.)[128]

            17.—Wood exhibited symptoms of exhaustion, and
            hinted to his second he could not stand it much
            longer. Bittoon, on the contrary, was in full
            vigour, but did not exert his strength, as he
            found it unnecessary.

            18.—In this round Wood, greatly to the
            surprise of every one, recovered, appeared
            re-invigorated, and undoubtedly had the best
            of the round. To the

            25th.—Wood supported a superiority, and fought
            the whole of these rounds with astonishing
            resolution, but the impression on his opponent
            was very slight.

            26.—During this round the conduct of the
            spectators seemed to indicate a determination
            that the Jew should lose the battle. They rushed
            in, broke the ropes, and pulled up the stakes.
            To settle this a body of horsemen rode up,
            driving the crowd before them, and after much
            mischief formed another ring.

            32.—A general engagement having been the
            consequence of this intrusion, there was great
            confusion, and only an imperfect ring was kept
            up to this round; the advantage during this time
            was alternate. Bittoon fell at the end of every
            round, but invariably first cut his opponent by
            a severe blow in the face. About this time the
            bustle began to subside, and the battle went on
            again more regularly.

            36.—Wood made a good stand-up fight, and many
            supposed that, by Bittoon’s frequently falling,
            Wood had the advantage; but he gained more by
            his well-aimed hits than his opponent did by the
            falls. This round, however, finished the fight,
            as Wood was quite worn out.

            A number of Bow Street officers had by
            this time arrived, and the company retired
            homewards, a little disappointed as there
            were no bye-battles.

Isaac, who was always a sporting character among the Israelites of the
East End, now retired from challenges, and became a licensed victualler
in Whitechapel. For many years he kept a sparring school and saloon for
fencing, singlestick, and broadsword, in Gulston Street, Whitechapel.
His weight after his retirement so immensely increased, that although
his activity was remarkable for his size (he drew at scale seventeen
stone), his appearances at the Fives Court, Tennis Court, Jackson’s
Rooms, etc., were a standing source of amusement to the visitors. In a
song chanted by the celebrated Robert Emery, the Yorkshire comedian, of
Covent Garden Theatre, we find a verse _apropos_ of this “feature” of
Bittoon’s person and of his “pluck,” then expressed by the word
“bottom;” he is describing the “qualities of the millers,”—

                “Bittoon then came, a champion bold,
                  And dealt some hard and sly knocks;
                But yet, when all the truth is told,
                  Some ranked him with the shy cocks.
                Still prate like this we must not mind,
                  A Dutchman true begot ’um,
                Whoe’er has seen Bittoon _behind_,
                  Will ne’er dispute his _bottom_.”

At length, in the month of February, 1838, “Old Ikey,” after a few
weeks’ illness, breathed his last at the age of sixty, in the eastern
quarter, wherein he was so long known, and lies in the Jewish burial
ground near Bethnal Green.

                        BILL CROPLEY—1807‒1810.

As the antagonist of Dutch Sam and Tom Belcher, with whom he made good
fights, the name of Bill Cropley has been preserved. As a teacher of
self-defence and an exhibitor at the Fives Court for more than a quarter
of a century, he is also remembered. Cropley’s two defeats, where in
both cases he had the misfortune to “catch a Tartar,” were balanced by
other contests which were more satisfactory in result. He successively
defeated “Jemmy from Town,” Tom Hazel, and George Cribb, brother of the
champion.

The first of these we find thus recorded. “An obstinate battle was this
day contested between Bill Cropley, well known at the ring side, and for
years as a shining light among the stalwart brotherhood of
coal-whippers, as ‘a good bit of stuff,’ and ‘Jemmy from Town,’ whose
game qualities with Morgan and Rolfe have procured him so much
patronage. The day on which this took place was memorable, the 7th of
April, 1807, as that on which Tom Cribb (see _post_) beat Jem Belcher,
and the roped ring was the same (twenty feet square), that had been just
left by those renowned gladiators. Cropley quickly disposed of his
antagonist, twenty-five minutes, eighteen rounds, polishing off the
plucky Jemmy without giving him a chance of turning the tide of battle.”

Cropley’s next ring fight was with an aspirant named Tom Hazel
(misprinted Lazel under Cropley, in “Fistiana”), on the 21st of August,
1807, at Crawley Common, after Dutch Sam had conquered Tom Belcher. A
subscription purse of thirty guineas had been raised by Captain Barclay,
Lord Say and Sele, Lord Archibald Hamilton, and other amateurs, for
Hazel to try his capabilities, much being thought of his pretensions to
the art. Cropley entered the ring, but Hazel proved a mere pretender in
actual combat. Cropley took the lead and kept it, throwing all Hazel’s
cleverness out, and in fifteen rounds proving the difference between
smart and courageous boxing and clever tapping with “the mufflers.”

The year 1808 was unlucky for our hero. His first match was with Dutch
Sam, on April 5, for fifty guineas, but was stopped by the authorities,
as was that of Jem Belcher and Dogherty, calendared for the same day. It
accordingly went off until the 10th of May, 1808, when Gully beat
Gregson a second time at Markyate Street, Herts. The “big battle” over,
Dutch Sam and Cropley mounted the stage at half past six o’clock in the
evening. In the first round Cropley got in heavily, and nearly closed
Sam’s right eye, but this was his only gleam of success. He tried “all
he knew,” but never again effectively spotted the wily Israelite. Sam
was too active, and in twenty-five minutes Cropley’s last chance was
gone. Bill gave in at the general desire of the amateurs, though he
wished to fight on: it was seven o’clock, and all were “homeward bound.”

On Saturday, June 11, after the fight of Dogherty and Pentikin, a talk
about the merits of the recent battle between Bill Cropley and Dutch Sam
led to some difference of opinion, and an amateur posted fifty guineas
for Bill to fight Tom Belcher in the same ring as Gregson and Tom Cribb
(October 28th, 1808). Accordingly, at Moulsey Hurst, the heroes met,
when Cropley fell, but not discreditably, as may be seen in the life of
TOM BELCHER, _ante_, Chapter II., Period III.

Cropley’s last ring fight was with George Cribb, on Friday, August 9th,
1809, at Pope’s Head Watch House, Reinbow, near Margate, after Richmond
the Black had beaten the veteran George Maddox. (See Life of RICHMOND,
Period IV.)

George proved a clumsy and slow fighter, a mere receiver-general. He
fought desperately and heavily for sixteen minutes, but at the end of
that short time was completely “told out,” and taken away by his
friends. “The match was extremely unequal,” says the report, “Cropley
being equal to Dutch Sam in skill, and much quicker than Cribb.”

From this time we hear of Cropley as a second and a sparrer for a number
of years. As late as May 1821, in a kind of supplementary summary of
“Boxers who have retired,” Pierce Egan thus notices the subject of these
lines. “Bill Cropley, in his day an excellent fighter. His contests with
Dutch Sam and Tom Belcher will always preserve his name from obscurity;
but, having no patron [he must have been going on for fifty], he follows
his occupation as a coal-whipper, but also keeps a school for the minor
amateurs. He seldom exhibits now.” “Boxiana,” second edition, vol. iii.,
p. 554.

We have not found the date of Cropley’s death.

                    TOM BLAKE (TOM TOUGH)—1804‒1810.

Tom Blake, a civil and ready fellow, whose boyish days had been passed
in the navy, deserves a corner in these records of the ring. We shall
pass Tom’s “outside” affairs, which were numerous, to come at once to
his battle with Jack Holmes, the Coachman, long remembered as one of the
most remarkable of the time.

A great company of the patrons of the fistic art having been drawn
together by the great battle of Pearce, the Game Chicken, and Berks,
January 23rd, 1804, a proposition was made, and a purse of 20 guineas
raised, as a prize to be contested for in a few days by two pugilistic
heroes, to be approved as a fair match by the contributors to the stake.

“The candidates, principally second-rate, were very numerous, and from
them were selected two boxers, both well-known in the fighting world,
and possessed of true bottom. These were Tom Blake, better known by the
appellation of ‘Tom Tough,’ and Jack Holmes, a son of Jehu, who in the
year 1794 contested a desperate battle in Harley Fields.[129]

“The cash being properly fixed and arranged, St. George’s-row, near the
Paddington Canal, the spot where Belcher and Berks first contested, was
determined for the battle. Early on the Monday morning, a great crowd
having assembled, the owner of the field sent to give information at Bow
Street. This the combatants heard, and immediately resolved to start for
Wilsden Green, about four miles from town. On their arrival a ring was
formed, and at half past twelve the combatants entered, stripped and
set-to. Odds six to four in favour of Tom Tough.”

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—Holmes put in the first blow on his
            opponent’s left side; this rather staggered him,
            and following him up, put in a bit with his left
            hand and brought him down. (Odds immediately
            changed six to four in favour of the coachman.)

            2 to 11.—During the whole of the ten rounds
            neither of the combatants tried by any manœuvre
            to evade the blow of his opponent. At the
            commencement of each round there was no
            shifting, no attempts at closing, or endeavours
            to throw each other down, but immediately on
            setting to one put in a blow, which was returned
            and manfully supported both right and left,
            until a hit brought one or other down. This
            having been the coachman’s bad luck for the last
            three rounds, odds changed much against him, as
            high as four to one.

            12 to 17.—Tom for the two first of these rounds
            displayed great advantage. In both he brought
            down his opponent by the first blow. The four
            following rounds were, however, more fairly
            contested; neither showed any signs of distress,
            and neither could claim any advantage.

            19.—This round was contested with as much spirit
            as though the battle was really depending on the
            issue. Tom, however, had the advantage. Great
            applause.

            20 to 26.—Both fought with unabated desperation.
            The odds incessantly varied, being, during these
            rounds, six to four in favour of one or other of
            the combatants. Every round brought down great
            applause, from their astonishing exertions.
            Tom’s side by this time exhibited marks of many
            well planted blows, being perfectly raw. (Odds
            were, however, three to one in his favour.)

            28.—This round had nearly proved fatal to Tom
            Tough, as the coachman nearly carried away his
            bowsprit. He twisted round, but did not fall,
            and tacking about put in a severe blow on the
            coachman’s larboard side, but fell from his own
            blow. (Odds were now three to one in favour of
            the coachman.)

            29.—Tom came up quite lame; he had sprained his
            knee in the fall, and could only with great pain
            point his foot to the earth. His seconds and
            friends wished him to give up, but Tom insisted
            on another broadside. Tom being lame, waited for
            his opponent’s coming up, and throwing out his
            left hand, struck him and brought him down.
            This, however, was considered as only chance, or
            that perhaps Holmes slipped, and odds of ten to
            four were offered against Tom. From this to the

            34th.—Tom every round stood firmly, waiting for
            the attack of his adversary.

            35.—In this round Tom greatly recovered of his
            lameness, and got in better spirits. During the
            round he patted Holmes on the cheek, and said,
            “Thou’rt a good fellow, but must be beat.” (Odds
            in Tom’s favour again.)

            41.—Holmes rallied, knocked down Tom, and
            evidently had the best of the round. The
            combatants continued the contest up to the

            48th.—Both hitting as hard as at first. Holmes’
            face was now even worse beat than Joe Berks’
            during any of his battles, and Tom’s side was
            sad to behold. Tom, however, was now the
            favourite.

            49 to 51.—The first of these rounds Holmes had
            the advantage, brought down his opponent in
            style. Tom, however, perceiving Holmes showed
            signs of being faint, fought more sprightly, and
            having put in a tolerably successful blow, any
            odds were offered that “coachee” would not touch
            collar again; but greatly to the astonishment
            of all, the coachman rallied, and in the last
            round made a wonderful effort to beat down his
            opponent, and succeeded. This round the one upon
            which the coachman depended for the success of
            the battle, for though he struggled hard for the
            superiority up to the sixtieth round, he failed
            in the attempt, and yielded.

            Holmes’ defeat was considered so much more
            to his credit than several of his “outside”
            victories, that the amateurs made a liberal
            collection on his behalf before leaving the
            ground.

Blake certainly vindicated his popular cognomen, of “Tom Tough,” in this
encounter. His name is “familiar as a household word,” through the ring
combats of Cribb, Maddox, Richmond, etc., etc.

After Tom Cribb, “the novice,” had beaten old Maddox, January 7th, 1805,
Tom Blake seems to have thought himself clever enough to try it on with
the rising “young ’un,” for a purse of 40 guineas, at Blackheath,
February 15, 1806. This proved a sad miscalculation. The embryo champion
had height, reach, weight, and youth on his side, and poor Tom was
finished by a cross-buttock in the last round but one, after an hour’s
gallant but hopeless struggle. “Belcher, Ward, Mendoza, Bittoon, Berks,
Maddox, and Jack Holmes were present, and a leading amateur offered to
back Cribb against any pugilist living, but no one accepted the
challenge.” (See life of TOM CRIBB, Period IV., Chapter 1.)

Five years afterwards, when forty years old, Tom, rough, tough, and
ready, offered himself as a “trial-horse” for the much talked of “young
black,” Tom Molineaux. There is no mistaking the pluck of this offer,
whatever we may think of its discretion. But as Blake is said to have
expressed it, “If he’s ever so good it’ll only be one hiding more, and
at any rate I’ll find out what stuff’s in him,” the match went on. The
battle took place on the coast, a few miles from Margate. Tom Cribb, by
a curious coincidence, seconded Tom Blake, and Richmond—under whose
patronage Molineaux then was—seconded his brother black. The resolution
of Blake upheld his established fame; he was hit completely out of time
by the fresh and powerful young American. The report will be found under
MOLINEAUX, Chapter II., Period IV.

From this period Tom confined himself to the functions of a second or
bottle-holder. In November, 1814, poor Tom, despite his toughness,
caught his death-cold; he was laid up with rheumatic fever, and finally
died of an attack of paralysis, early in 1815. Tom’s battles were always
courageous, and in his earlier day remarkably dexterous and skilful. His
gameness rendered him formidable, and his endurance, _teste_ his battle
with Holmes, and later with Tom Cribb, fully evidenced that his alias,
“Tom Tough,” was a well-bestowed title.

                      BOB GREGSON—1807‒1809.[130]

Few men were more widely known in the sporting circles of London, for
the few years that he made the metropolis his home, than the burly,
bigboned, gigantic landlord of “Bob’s Chophouse,” better known as the
Castle, Holborn; the head-quarters of pugilism in the great days of the
Belchers, Cribbs, and Tom Spring; the first and last, for a long series
of years, being bonifaces of this well-known hostelry.

Gregson was born July 21st, 1778, at Heskin, three miles from Chorley,
and ten from Preston, Lancashire; and we have Pierce Egan’s word for it,
who doubtless had it from Bob’s own lips, that he commanded the
Liverpool and Wigan Packet, for several years with credit and respect.
What follows is somewhat strange. “For the period of seven years, all
the pugilistic heroes of Lancashire, as well as those from other parts,
that met him in combat, surrendered to his conquering arm, and the name
of Gregson was resounded from one end to the other as the proud champion
of that most populous county. His pitched battles were numerous; but the
skirmishes of Bob were by far too frequent for us to treat upon, and we
have, therefore, slightly touched on those achievements which claim a
prominency of feature.”

The captain of “the Liverpool and Wigan Packet,” must have had his hands
pretty full, for besides “all the pugilistic heroes of Lancashire, as
well as those from other parts,” Bob Gregson is related to have beaten a
rival for the hand and affections of Mrs. G., of the name of Harry
Mandersley; after which one “Ned Waller, a sort of second champion of
the county,” had to be disposed of, which he of course was. James
Ayschire, Ned Prescot, James Benton, “one Tom Dawber,” Robert Fance, Tom
Wright, Bill Hallrop, and other real or phantom boxers, all fall in
succession before Gregson’s “conquering arm,” each under circumstances
minutely manufactured with a detail and diffuseness that may well excite
the envy of the most prolix penny-a-liner that ever stuffed out
emptiness with verbose nothings. Finally Pierce brings down the
“tremendous Joe Berks,” introducing him in the following choice
rhodomontade:—

“The tremendous Joe Berks now made his appearance in Manchester,
threatening destruction to all the pugilists in the county, who should
have the temerity to enter the lists with him, when Gregson was once
more called upon to avenge the honour of his native soil, and to expel,
if possible, this daring invader. It was a truly brave contest, and the
gluttony of this pugilistic cormorant was never more completely
satisfied, and who publicly declared a short time afterwards, that his
appetite had never been good since that period. The battle took place at
Higher Hardwicke, when after forty minutes had elapsed Berks
acknowledged Gregson to be his master.” Need we say, after a perusal of
Berks’ memoir, that the whole of this is pure invention. Gregson and
Berks never met. The historian proceeds, “Soon after this circumstance,”
the imaginary encounter with Joe Berks, “Bob’s prospects in life
experienced a material change, owing to a severe domestic calamity, in
the loss of an amiable and affectionate partner; and he now not only bid
[bade] adieu to Lancashire, but in all probability to pugilism in
future, in being presented with a commission in the army, which
regiment, named after the county, was quartered at Plymouth, to which
place Gregson repaired, to join the standard; but finding that his
finances were not able to support the character of an officer with that
respectability which such a situation required, he relinquished the
project, and entered, rather imprudently, into the gay pursuits of
fashion at that place, that when he arrived in the metropolis, to use a
sporting phrase, he was nearly cleaned out. Bob now experienced some
vicissitudes—facts are stubborn things—and it was from the necessity of
the moment only, that Gregson was induced to enter the ring again as a
pugilist.” Of this we may believe as much or as little as we please. The
Lancashire hero’s first interview with John Gully, seems, however,
somewhat inconsistent with “behaviour becoming an officer and a
gentleman,” as the phrase runs. His eulogist shall tell it in his own
words: “Upon Bob’s first meeting with Gully, at a public house, some
harsh epithets passed between them, when Gregson, to show his strength
took Gully up under his arm, and threw him down on the ground; upon
which a match was the consequence between those heroes.” This is pretty
good. We will not, however, pursue this branch of the subject
further.[131]

  BOB GREGSON.
]

Gregson, who stood six feet one inch and a half in height, and weighed
fifteen stone six pounds, was a Lancashire rough, of undaunted courage,
immense endurance, trusting to brute strength for victory, and falling
before skilful practitioners of the art of self-defence. His battles
with Gully at Newmarket, October 14, 1807; and at Markyate Street,
Herts., May 10, 1808 (for which see life of JOHN GULLY); with Tom Cribb,
at Moulsey, October 25, 1808 (see life of TOM CRIBB), sufficiently
illustrate his strength and courage. As to Gregson’s poetical merits,
whereon Pierce Egan expatiates in several pages of his own marvellous
prose, we may pass them safely to the limbo of lost reputations; lest,
however, we should be thought invidious, we will give the _best_ stanza
we can find among the specimens preserved in “Boxiana,” vol. i., p. 358,
in the Appendix of “Prime Chaunts for the Fancy.”

   “The garden of freedom is the British land we live in,
     And welcomes every slave from his banish’d isle,
   Allows them to impose on a nation good and generous,
     To incumber and pollute our native soil.
           But John Bull cries out aloud,
           We’re neither poor nor proud,
   But open to all nations, let them come from where they will;
           The British lads that’s here,
           Quite strangers are to fear,
   Here’s Tom Cribb, with bumpers round, for he can them mill!”[132]

With this specimen of crambo the reader will be satisfied. Some really
clever poetical effusions from the pens of Mr. Hunter, of Southampton,
Mr. Vincent Dowling and others, which from time to time adorned the
columns of _Bell’s Life in London_, will occur among the records of
passing ring events, and these we shall gladly transfer to the
enlivening of the pages of our history.

From 1808 to 1814, when Tom Belcher succeeded him as landlord of the
Castle, “Bob’s Chop-house,” as it was called, was the head quarters of
ring patrons and pugilists. As a business speculation, however, Gregson
did not make it pay. The celebrated Yorkshire actor, Robert Emery, of
Covent Garden, appears to have been a staunch patron of Bob’s, taking
the chair at his opening dinner, and contributing his great vocal and
conversational talents to his service on festive occasions. On one of
these we find a song containing a stanza laudatory of Bob, in which his
early position as the commander of a packet is clearly mentioned:—

                   “A captain from afar,
                     Kick’d up such a racket,
                   Though not a man of war,
                     He did command a packet:
                   Wind and weather howl,
                     Never did appal him,
                   Let the tempest scowl,
                     His lads were sure to haul him.”

After enumerating his four defeats the singer concludes:

                “Now he’s got a job,
                  He keeps the Castle Inn, sir,
                In Holborn, call on Bob,
                  There’s wine, and beer, and gin, sir.

                “If once you pull his bell,
                  You’re sure to call again, sir,
                For though in fight he fell,
                  He’s not the worst of men, sir:
                No more he’ll fight for stakes,
                  He’s done with hits and stops, sir,
                With Gullys, Cribbs, or Blacks;
                  In peace he’ll mind his chops, sir.”

After an attempt at establishing a sparring school in London, Gregson
left the metropolis for Dublin, where his peculiar merits were more
likely to be appreciated. He opened the rooms once occupied by the
“Royal Irish Academy,” as a “School for teaching the art of
self-defence,” and is said to have been “well supported by the first
class of amateurs in Dublin.” In April, 1819, Gregson was in London, and
took a benefit at the theatre in Catherine Street, Strand, at which
Donnelly, “the Irish champion,” showed, with an arm lamed by an
accident. In August, 1819, Donnelly, George Cooper and Gregson, were on
a sparring tour in Ireland, and later we find Bob figuring as the
landlord of “the Punch House,” Moor Street, Dublin. In 1824, Gregson,
whose health had been for some time failing, died at Liverpool, in the
month of November, and lies buried in St. Nicholas’ churchyard.

                           END OF PERIOD III.

                          PERIOD IV—1805‒1820.
  FROM THE APPEARANCE OF TOM CRIBB TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF TOM SPRING.

                               CHAPTER I.

             THOMAS CRIBB, CHAMPION OF ENGLAND.—1805‒1820.

“Advance, brave Broughton!” exclaims Captain Godfrey, with manly
enthusiasm; “thee I pronounce Captain of the Boxers!” Had the worthy and
trueborn writer of “the Characters” lived in the nineteenth century, he
would have bestowed this compliment on “honest and brave Old Tom.” Since
first the honour of champion was a coveted and distinguished prize for
men of bold heart and iron sinew, for men of forbearing coolness and
pain-defying fortitude, down to these evil days of wrangle, chaffing,
bullying, and shifting, a more straightforward, excellent,
simple-hearted, generous, and brave man than Tom Cribb, never held the
hard-won trophy.

There are curious parallels to be traced in pugilistic as well as public
annals, which exemplify the sagacious remark of a philosophic writer,
that history is always repeating itself. Thus renown awakens emulation
in other hearts, and bold adventurers are ready to challenge imputed
superiority. In such competitions with man, horse, or hound, in athletic
exercises, in courage, endurance, and in cool self-reliance even against
odds physical or numerical, England has no cause to blush for her sons.
In the days of Fig, we have seen that a Venetian gondolier, a formidable
fellow, vaunted as “the strongest man in Europe,” proposed to tear the
champion’s wreath from—

                “England, that never did nor never shall
                Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror.”

  THOMAS CRIBB (CHAMPION OF ENGLAND).

  _From the Painting by_ DE WILD, 1811.
]

In the time of Cribb, the descendant of an African race, remarkable for
insensibility to pain, a low cerebral development, and immense muscular
powers, challenged the belt, was met by Tom Cribb, defeated, and died a
self-destroyed victim to his mortification and reckless excess. In our
own time an Irish-American of superior stature, weight, and physique,
with the advantages of youth, activity, and unexhausted energy, offered
himself as challenger of the belt, which might well be taken as the
symbol of the championship of the world. Its holder was a middle weight,
whose many hard fought battles had left him outward marks on his person,
and still more told upon his elasticity and lasting powers. Yet Tom
Sayers undauntedly met the defiance, and the result, though
unsatisfactory in the main, showed what lion-hearted courage and a
determination to “do or die” can achieve. The trophy was retained in our
little “nook-shotten isle,” again to be contended for by Englishmen,
though “open to all comers,” without regard to country and colour. But
we are anticipating our history, which has now to do with the honest,
hearty, and gallant Tom Cribb.

Cribb was born July 8th, 1781, at Hanham, in the parish of Bitton,
Gloucester, on the borders of Somerset, situate about five miles from
Bristol, and it is rather a disputed point to which of the counties
contiguous to Hanham this spot belongs.

Pierce Egan, from Cribb’s own lips, has compiled a diffuse account of
his earlier career, to which we are indebted for the following
particulars:—

Our hero left his native place at a very early period, and arrived in
the metropolis, when no more than thirteen years old, to follow the
trade of a bell-hanger, under the guidance of a relative; but the
confined occupation of hanging bells not exactly meeting his ideas, and
being a strong youth, he preferred an out-door calling, and commenced
porter at the wharfs, during which time he met with two accidents that
had nearly deprived him of existence—in stepping from one coal barge to
another, he fell between them, and got jammed in a dreadful manner; and
in carrying a very heavy package of oranges, weighing nearly 500 pounds,
he slipped upon his back, and the load fell upon his chest, which
occasioned him to spit blood for several days afterwards. By the
excellence of his constitution, he was soon enabled to recover his
strength from those severe accidents; and aided by the invigorating air
of the ocean, upon which he had the honour of serving against the
enemies of his country, his fine natural stamina was improved. The
natural good temper and forbearance of this brave man has left his
historian little to record in the way of skirmishes; and the important
contests which it will become our duty and pleasing task to record, were
all conducted on the principles of professional boxing—the very first
elements of which are manliness, forbearance, and fair play. Though
Cribb was generally considered a slow fighter, he was as generally
admired as a sure hitter; his wind was of the first quality, and his
game never excelled. With such sound pugilistic pretensions it will not
appear surprising that Tom quickly scaled his way to fame and fortune,
in which career we shall leave his actions to speak for themselves.

In the beginning of 1805, Cribb fought his first public battle with that
veteran of fistic glory, George Maddox, on Wood Green, near Highgate,
January 7th, 1805, for a subscription purse of twenty-five
guineas—twenty for the winner and five for the loser. The disparity of
years was considerable between the combatants; and Cribb, besides
possessing the advantages of youth, was somewhat taller than Maddox,
and, consequently rather the favourite.

As we find no report, beyond a mere mention of this fight in “Boxiana,”
or elsewhere, we give the brief account we find in the weekly papers:
“On Monday (January 7), at Wood Green, about two miles north of
Highgate, a severe boxing match took place, between the pugilistic
veteran, George Maddox (in his 50th year), and Thomas Cribb, a young
man, who had never entered the lists before, but known in the
neighbourhood of Wapping, where he has been working as a coal-porter, as
‘the Black Diamond.’ Maddox’s second was Tom Jones, and Black Sam
sympathetically seconded the Black Diamond.

“The contest was for an amateur subscription purse of 25 guineas, 20 for
the winner, and five for the loser. A ring having been formed, at about
twelve o’clock the combatants entered. On stripping appearances were
greatly in favour of Cribb; he being a well made man, standing five feet
ten inches, about two inches taller than Maddox. After the usual
ceremonies they set-to.”

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—This was little more than sparring. The
            Diamond put in a blow, but no harm done.

            4.—Well contested. Maddox showed considerable
            skill, and finished it by closing his opponent’s
            eye. (Odds rose two to one in favour of George.)
            From this to the

            30th.—Nothing of consequence happened; both men
            fought desperately, Maddox with great tact as
            well as pluck, and each endeavoured to out-do
            his opponent. Maddox by this time finding his
            antagonist possessed good bottom, exerted his
            utmost to blind him, and hit always at his head,
            Cribb fighting with undaunted courage.

            40.—By this time they had fought exactly an
            hour, and Cribb’s eye was severely hurt. (Odds
            four to one on Maddox.) To the

            52nd.—Was a continued series of hard fighting.

            53.—Odds again rose in favour of Maddox, and he
            put in a most severe blow a little beneath his
            opponent’s left eye, which perfectly closed it.
            The fight had now lasted one hour and a half;
            but from this to the

            60th.—Maddox continued to lose ground, becoming
            almost worn out. The friends and partisans of
            Maddox perceiving this, got up a row in another
            part of the ring, and his seconds led him off,
            declaring it a drawn battle. On this Cribb
            demanded the purse; but this was refused, and a
            general engagement ensued. Caleb Baldwin, Tom
            Jones, Black Sam, Dutch Sam, and the spectators
            took a very active share. During the scuffle
            some ruffian treacherously cut Cribb over the
            head with a stick. Order, however, was, after
            some time, restored, and Cribb insisted either
            on the purse or that his antagonist should
            return to the combat. This generous offer was to
            Maddox’s friends a perfect poser, but rather
            than lose ‘the cole,’ they brought George out of
            a hackney coach to renew the fight, and the
            combatants again set-to. They supported the
            contest for sixteen rounds, making in all
            seventy-six, and the time two hours and twelve
            minutes, when George, thoroughly exhausted, gave
            in. Cribb, having but just come forward, found
            but few friends, and consequently was obliged to
            put up with much unfair play.

Such is the contemporary report, and one that shows that the “win, tie,
or wrangle” school is not altogether modern, and that ruffians at the
ring side, as elsewhere, were among our grandfathers as in the present
time. Cribb’s reputation rose greatly by the coolness, even temper, and
game he displayed, as a novice contending against one of the best and
most experienced tacticians of his time.

Young Cribb was well in three days, and at the Fives Court, where he was
challenged by Tom Blake (Tom Tough). See Appendix, _ante_, p. 236.
Preliminaries were quickly arranged, and a month’s time given, February
15th, 1805, being appointed, on which day they met on Blackheath. We
quote the report:—

                               THE FIGHT.

            Both parties had been a month in training. All
            the patrons and admirers of pugilism having
            gained information on the preceding evening of
            the seat of combat, early in the morning
            Blackheath was thronged. A ring was formed, and
            about eleven o’clock Cribb entered, accompanied
            by Richmond, the black, and Joe Norton, as his
            seconds. Blake soon followed, with Dick Hall and
            Webb, for his attendants. They stripped, and
            immediately set-to. Bets even, but odds
            generally considered in favour of Cribb, from
            his known agility and skill. The combatants met
            each other with great eagerness, and each put in
            some exceedingly good blows. For a quarter of an
            hour bets remained stationary, and both
            champions in that time had displayed a degree of
            science and courage almost unprecedented. Cribb,
            however, being longer in the reach than his
            opponent, it was seldom Blake could effectively
            get home a blow. At the end of an hour Blake
            began to show great symptoms of distress, and
            odds were now strongly betted in favour of
            Cribb. Still Blake stood up manfully, and
            displayed a great deal of his usual dexterity.
            Until within the two last rounds of the battle,
            Cribb astonishingly supported his advantage; but
            here Blake brought his utmost, both in strength
            and skill, into action. He put in several
            excellent straight hits about his opponent’s
            head; Cribb rallied most determinedly. Blake
            recovered and returned to the rally, but
            overreaching himself, Cribb threw him a
            cross-buttock.

            The next round decided the contest; Blake found
            he was fighting at an overpowering disadvantage,
            and gave in. Blake was extremely weak; he could
            hardly stand; and Cribb showed marks of his
            antagonist’s dexterity.

            Belcher, Warr, Mendoza, Bittoon, Berks, Maddox,
            and Jack Holmes were there. Several amateurs
            offered to back Cribb against any pugilist
            going, but no one accepted the challenge.

Cribb was not allowed to rest long upon the laurels he had thus acquired
by two victories in two months. A ponderous Jew, known as Ikey Pig, well
known among the sparring schools, fancied he could take the shine out of
the Black Diamond, whom many declared to be “slow as a top.” Fifty
guineas was posted, and Blackheath named as the rendezvous. On May 21st,
1805, the battle came off. Tom Jones seconded Cribb, and Will Wood, the
coachman, picked up the Jew.

For the first quarter of an hour Ikey made good use of his strength. He
closed at the end of each round, and brought Cribb down heavily more
than once. Cribb fought very steadily and cautiously, generally drawing
his man after him. Being, however, down and undermost at the end of
several rounds, superficial observers thought that Cribb had the worst
of it, and betted against him. In the eighth and ninth rounds, however,
though Cribb was down, Ikey’s friends perceived their man had much the
worst of it. He was not only much disfigured but sadly distressed by
some heavy half-arm hits which Cribb had delivered with the right on his
left side. They fought two more rounds, making eleven in all, when Ikey,
who was terribly distressed, refused to fight any more, alleging that he
had sprained his wrist. “This defeat sadly mortified many of the
Israelites, who considered Ikey had shown ‘the white feather.’ It was
afterwards, however, agreed that he had no chance of victory.”

Cribb was unquestionably “going the pace,” and “it is the pace that
kills.” The next month (June), he was matched to fight George Nicholls,
on the 20th July. They met at Broadwater, and here Cribb experienced his
first and last defeat. The details will be found under Nicholls’ memoir
in the Appendix to this Period.

As colour or country made no difference to Tom Cribb, any more than to
his smaller successor Tom Sayers, Cribb entered the ring on the 8th
October, 1805, with Bill Richmond, the black, at Hailsham, Sussex, after
Gully had been defeated by the accomplished Pearce, the Game Chicken.
The purse was 25 guineas, twenty to the winner.

“At any other time,” says the reporter, “a contest between these men
would have demanded the greatest attention, but so highly were the minds
of the amateurs excited by the merit of the first contenders, that
little notice seemed paid to the present battle. To call it a battle,
however, is to disgrace the synonyme of fight. It was a most unequal
match. Richmond, finding he could not get at his steady and formidable
opponent, hopped and danced about the ring, sometimes falling down, at
others jigging round in the style of an Otaheitan dance. Cribb appeared
somewhat puzzled by his opponent’s long black pegs, and could not be
persuaded to go in and lick him off hand, as every one knew was well in
his power. Twenty minutes elapsed without a single blow of any
consequence passing. In this manner they spun it out for one hour and a
half, when Cribb was acknowledged the victor, without being the least
hurt. Among the numerous sporting equestrians present was the Duke of
Clarence.”

Cribb now rose into general notice, and John Jackson having introduced
him to the renowned Captain Barclay, of Ury (of whom more anon), that
excellent judge quickly perceived his natural good qualities; he took
him in hand, trained him under his own eye, and backed him for 200
guineas against the famous Jem Belcher, whose _prestige_ was still so
great, that, despite the loss of an eye, six to four was laid upon him
so soon as the match was made.

On the classic hurst of Moulsey, on the 8th April, 1807, in a twenty
feet roped ring, Tom Cribb and Jem Belcher met. Gully and Bob Watson, of
Bristol, waited upon Belcher; Bill Warr and Bill Richmond (last defeated
by Cribb), waited on the champion.

                               THE FIGHT.

            Round 1.—The science on both sides was shown in
            the excellence of their defensive attitudes;
            Belcher’s, however, was far the most graceful
            and unconstrained. Belcher broke ground, and got
            in two light hits left and right on the body of
            his opponent, which were returned slightly by
            Cribb, who rallied, closed, and was thrown by
            Belcher.

            2.—Belcher put in two severe blows upon Cribb’s
            head and body, when the latter returned a hit,
            but slipped down upon his hands in attempting to
            follow it up. Cribb showed the first blood.

            3.—Several severe blows were exchanged, when
            Cribb threw Belcher, who planted a heavy body
            blow while in the act of falling. This round
            rather in favour of Cribb.

            4.—Cribb displayed good science in warding off
            two blows of Belcher’s, when they closed and
            fell.

            5.—Belcher with his right hand put in a dreadful
            blow on Cribb’s left eye, and in closing hit his
            opponent twice in the body, and threw him. (Five
            to two on Belcher.)

            6.—Cribb began to show symptoms of weakness.
            Belcher put in a hit, warding off which caused
            Cribb to fall.

            7.—Belcher’s punishment was now visible on
            the body of Cribb, who endeavoured to put in
            two blows, which were parried by Belcher,
            and Jem returned both right and left with
            great dexterity, and rallied his man to the
            ropes, when Cribb clung to them, and fell
            much fatigued; Belcher also went down on his
            knees, but seemed in good spirits. (Three to
            one on Jem.)

            8.—A good supply of home-brewed from Cribb;
            hitting and retreating neatly on both sides;
            when they closed and both went down.

            9.—Belcher hit his adversary right and left, but
            only the latter told, when Jem fell from the
            force of his own blow.

            10.—Belcher commenced this round with great
            spirit, and gave Cribb some severe blows,
            without letting him have a chance; following and
            rallying his opponent to the ropes, when Cribb,
            appearing quite fatigued, fell. (The odds now
            rose four to one on Jem.)

            11.—Belcher planted two hits, which Cribb
            skilfully warded off, but Belcher was so rapid
            in closing upon his antagonist, that they both
            went down.

            12.—A small change was now making its appearance
            between the combatants—Cribb seemed rather
            gaining his strength, while Belcher appeared
            rather distressed from his exertions; Cribb
            rallied successfully, planted a hit under
            Belcher’s perfect eye, closed, and threw him.

            13.—Belcher in all his contests never showed
            himself to greater advantage than in this round;
            his skill was of the finest order, and only
            equalled by his courage. In closing, Belcher
            threw Cribb.

            14.—Both on the alert. Belcher let go both right
            and left, which were parried by Cribb, who
            returned two blows in the body, when they closed
            and fell. (Still four to one on Belcher.)

            15.—Belcher, full of gaiety, rallied Cribb to
            the extremity of the ring, and, in struggling,
            put an end to the round by falling.

            16.—Cribb stopped Belcher’s blows with great
            skill. The knowing ones were, at this period
            of the battle, rather at a stand-still with
            regard to sporting their money. Cribb, it was
            certain, by his appearance, had received severe
            punishment, but not enough to satisfy anything
            like his gluttony and Belcher’s stamina had been
            considered on the decline previous to the
            contest, and it was apprehended that he could
            not last.

            17.—Belcher, still confident, forced the
            fighting, until Cribb fell from fatigue.

            18.—Belcher put in some severe blows in the
            body, and followed them with a heavy
            right-hander on the throat of his opponent, and
            Cribb fell violently, and quite exhausted. It
            was in this round that Belcher sprained his
            wrist, and was almost deprived of the use of his
            right hand afterwards.

            19.—Belcher slipped in making play.

            20.—The combatants closed and fell.

            21.—Cribb planted two blows on his opponent’s
            head, who slipped in returning them. It was now
            perceived that Belcher proved incorrect in his
            distances, and that several of his blows were
            thrown away, from the bad state of his eye.

            23.—Belcher, full of gaiety, put in a good hit,
            and threw Cribb a cross-buttock.

            24.—Cribb the most conspicuous in the round,
            when they closed and fell.

            25.—Cribb put in a tremendous blow, and in
            attempting to follow it up, Belcher shifted, and
            Cribb ran himself down.

            26.—The constitution of Belcher was now giving
            way; his strength was not able to resist the
            heavy punishment of Cribb, who hit Jem from him,
            and gave him a leveller. Cribb upon this became
            the favourite.

            27.—A well-contested round, and, notwithstanding
            Belcher gave Cribb a cross-buttock, it was
            considered in favour of the latter.

            28.—Belcher made a hit, which was warded off by
            his opponent and returned, when they closed and
            fell.

            29.—Without hesitation Cribb closed, and, from
            his uncommon strength, threw Belcher over the
            ropes.

            30.—After slight exchanges, Belcher fell from a
            very slight hit.

            31.—A good round, without any particular
            advantage to either; though Cribb put in the
            most blows, yet Belcher gave his adversary a
            violent fall.

            32.—Both closed and fell.

            33.—Belcher, quite game, endeavoured to make the
            best of it, but Cribb rallied and threw him.

            34, 35, and 36.—In all these rounds Cribb
            maintained the superiority.

            37.—Belcher had scarcely any strength left to
            stand, and his brave opponent was not in a much
            better state; and from this period to the
            fortieth it was little better than mere hugging,
            blows they could not be called, from the
            exhausted state of both the combatants.

            41 and last.—Thirty-five minutes had now
            elapsed, and Cribb proving the stronger man,
            put in two weak blows, when Belcher, quite
            exhausted, fell upon the ropes, and gave up
            the contest.

            REMARKS.—Every one present could not but feel
            surprised at the astonishing improvement Cribb
            had made in the science of pugilism. In all
            his preceding contests he had only displayed
            the pluck of a novice, but in this he showed
            himself equal to his opponent in stopping and
            measuring his distances. Had it been generally
            known that he had so amply possessed these
            qualities, as well as his astonishing game,
            the result might have been anticipated.
            Notwithstanding this just praise is paid to
            Cribb’s merit, he cannot be considered equally
            scientific with his unsuccessful opponent. He
            was decidedly slow, and until after the hit he
            so dexterously put in on Belcher’s perfect
            eye, and the latter had sprained his wrist, he
            stood a doubtful chance. Belcher fought with
            all that vigour and skill which ever were his
            characteristics, but seemed incapable of
            judging his distances accurately.

From the above somewhat meagre report of this battle, it will be
gathered that notwithstanding the strength of Cribb, who was nearly two
stone heavier than his opponent, he was only just able to pull through