13.—Oliver was now in the highest spirits, and exclaimed he would lay ten to one that Ward would not get a black eye. Sampson came to work a little the worse for wear, and went in manfully to fight, but Ward stopped him with inimitable skill, and then rushing in, delivered facers left and right. Sampson fell on his back, and Ward fell on him.
14.—Sparring for a short time, when Ward again went to work with his left, and napped it slightly himself on the mouth from Sampson’s right. A spirited rally followed, in which Sampson received three flush hits on the nose and lips. Sampson received with the courage of a lion, and returned on Ward’s head; but Ward was with him again, and hit him down with a tremendous gobster.
15.—Sampson still preserved his game, and attempted to plant a left-handed lunge on Ward’s head. Ward parried the blow, rushed in, and delivered three times in succession on Sampson’s now disorganized physog. He then jumped away, followed by Sampson, who, on receiving another tap, went down.
16.—It was now manifest that, however well disposed Sampson might be to punish his man, he was unable to get at him, and his blows left but little impression, although we observed a slight tinge of claret from Ward’s proboscis. This was a short round; Ward, endeavouring to put in a body blow, over-reached himself, and fell on his hands and knees.
17.—Sampson put in a slight blow on the side of Ward’s head. Ward jumped back, but again returned to the charge, hit Sampson on the sore spot, threw him heavily, and fell upon him.
18.—Ward planted a severe blow on Sampson’s wind, again caught him a rap on the nose, closed, and threw him, adding his own weight to the impetus of the fall.
19.—Sampson came up boldly, although more cautious than heretofore. At last, on coming in, Ward hit him a terrific right-handed whack on his face, and floored him, in a twinkling.
20.—Sampson rather more on the standoff, from a deficiency of wind, and a consciousness that he was getting the worst of the in-fighting. Ward, not disposed to let him remain long in suspense, rushed and peppered his mug with great severity; and at length catching him round the neck, fibbed him with effect on the nut-crackers, and grassed him.
21.—Ward scarcely bore marks of the effects of his engagement,
“And had everything now, as Bill Gibbons would say—