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.