but much to the chagrin of the amateurs and lovers of the pugilistic art, it was prevented by the interposition of Mr. Ford, the magistrate of Bow-street, who, having received information of the intended combat, issued a warrant against Belcher, and on the Sunday night previous Townsend took him into LIMBO. Many circumstances combined to excite a most extraordinary degree of expectation, and produced a multitudinous attendance on this attractive occasion. The late ratification of peace had tended to annihilate fighting; conversation, which had so lively been supported by the race of two famous horses, Sir Solomon and Cockfighter, had now become exhausted in the sporting circle; the combatants being of the highest renown in the science, could not fail to animate every amateur; and, to add still greater numbers to the assembly, a violent thunder-storm on the Saturday night had kept the heroes, who on that evening enjoy themselves, altogether inactive. All the loose cash, all the turbulence that had been amassed that night, now prompted by curiosity, broke forth with increased avidity. The fight" was the very goal of attraction, it consolidated every vagrant wish, every undecided mind, and every idle hope. This match first became the subject of contemplation from an accidental skirmish, as mentioned in page 136, during the fight between Elias and Tom Jones, at Wimbledon; in which, although Bourke seemingly had the worst of it, the amateurs considered it as a matter of surprise, and no previous training having taken place on either side, much consequence was not attached to the defeat, nor was it considered decisive 66 decisive of the merits of the rival heroes. Many knowing-ones, indeed, conceived that Bourke got thrashed in this contest, only through his own rashness, and entertaining flattering hopes of his powers, took him into private nursing-Raw eggs to improve his wind, and raw beef to make him savage, were the glorious nonnaturals that composed his regimen, and in all his exercises he topped even expectation's self. All this was done in the anxious trust that Belcher would be backed with great odds, as he was thought to be the favorite with all, excepting those in the secret; they, however, did not manage with all that address which experience proves so requisite to gull the world; it soon spread that Bourke had been in training, and had considerably improved in his sparring; odds then took a contrary direction, but when the amateurs who con o'er these sublime subjects, began to consider that Belcher, although not in training, had lived temperate, was in good condition, and full of stiff meat, he again became the favorite, and on the ground six to four were the standing odds. The hours appointed in the articles for the decision of the contest were between twelve and two. At about one o'clock Bourke appeared on the stage, stripped, and began to shew play for the amusement of his friends, who did not fail to make the welkin ring with plaudits; however, Belcher not ascending the stage as expected, he dressed himself again, amidst cries of "Where is Belcher ?" Bourke immediately assumed the attitude, not of a fighter, but an orator, and in the following eloquent manner addressed the multitude: "GEMMEN! T 2 "GEMMEN! I COM'D here, d'ye see? to fight JIM Belcher. I'm here and he is'nt. I wish he had; for on the word of a BUTCHER, I'd have CLEAVED his CALF'S HEAD, and given him such a CHOP in the KIDNIES, as would soon have brought him on his MARROW BONES!" The cry of "Where is Belcher ?" still continued, when Gamble, the Irish bruiser, came forward, "Where is he? why at Bow-street, to be sure; he was grabbled on the road." This was not the fact, but something near it. The suspense, however, was not of long duration, two friends of Jemmy's arrived with the sad and melancholy tidings of the QUEER TIP he had met with the last night. Bill Ward, Gamble, Lee, Jackson, many amateurs, sporting characters, and pick pockets, were present. Wednesday, November 25, 1801, this frequently BALKED battle between Belcher and Bourke was decided. The greatest secrecy having been observed with respect to the fight, it was not until Tuesday afternoon that the field of battle was precisely determined. A stage was erected at Hurley-bottom, a valley situated about 32 miles from Hyde-park-corner, and about four miles and a half from Maidenhead, between the Henley and Reading roads. About ten minutes after twelve Belcher mounted the stage, accompanied by his second Joe Ward, and a Bristol youth, unknown in the bruising circles, as his bottle-holder. He immediately began to strip, and when prepared, took the precaution of particularly exa mining the stage, lest any nail might do him an even tual tual injury. Shortly after Bourke appeared, attended by Harry Lee as his second, and George Rhodes his bottle-holder. The combatants shook hands and immediately set to. Bets seven to four and two to one on Belcher. 1st round-Several severe blows were exchanged. Bourke put in a well directed hit under his antagonist's right eye, who staggered, closed, and both fell. 2d, 3d, and 4th-During these rounds neither combatants displayed any science, notwithstanding some good blows were reciprocally given and received. 5th-Belcher made a feint with his left hand, and with his right put in so good a hit on the nose of his opponent, that he laid it quite open, and brought him down with great violence. Bets ten to one offered, but refused. 6th-Much shy fighting. Belcher at length struck Bourke over his forehead, and cut him again severely; the blood now issued so freely from his wounds, that Lee could scarcely find handkerchiefs sufficient to keep him clean. 9th-Bourke being the strongest man, threw his antagonist with great violence. 13th-This was the best contested round throughout the battle, and was truly desperate fighting. 16th-At the conclusion of this round Bourke was quite exhausted, and it is but justice to his gallantry and courage to record, that, although in so dreadful a state, he refused to give in, and the yielding word was uttered by his second. The battle, which undoubtedly was the most desperately rately contested of any since that of Big Ben and Johnson in the year 1791, lasted 25 minutes, but although it displayed the height of courage on both sides, it was by no means so gratifying to the scientific amateur as many battles of the old school; very few strait blows were struck, but both the combatants fought round, and made a hugging fight of it. Bourke was much cut and dreadfully bruised in the body; during the fight he displayed wonderful activity and bottom, but not an equal portion of skill. At the conclusion he was immediately put into a postchaise, but very cruelly left there until after the decision of another battle, and then conveyed to town. This hero was born of Irish Parents, at Wem, in Shropshire, was greatly superior in stature to Belcher, standing above five feet eleven inches in height, and weighed 13 stone; he was very well made, and extremely muscular. Belcher appeared not the least hurt, and declared he never felt a blow during the whole of the battle; he was very highly elated by having gained the laurel, and still more perhaps the stake. In the insolence of victory he challenged Mendoza, who was present, and offered to fight him in a month for 300 to 200 guineas; to this bravado, Mendoza, greatly to his commendation, calmly answered, that he had given up the gilistic profession; that he supported by his exertions, as landlord of the Lord Nelson, in Whitechapel, a family of six childern; there was only one man he would fight, which was Jackson; his unhandsome and unfair conduct in a prior contest having excited his pu greatest |