4.—Caunt came up blowing, when Bendigo, after a little dodging, popped in his left under his guard, and got away. Caunt, determined on mischief, followed his man, and at last getting to him let fly left and right, catching Bendy with the left on the mouth slightly, but missing his right. Bendigo finding himself in difficulties got down, falling on the ropes, and grinning facetiously at Goliath the Second, who walked back to his corner.
5.—Caunt, first to lead off, drew on his man, but Bendy retreated, Caunt after him, till he reached the ropes, when Caunt hit out left and right, his blows passing harmlessly over Bendigo’s head. There was a want of precision in Caunt’s hitting not to be accounted for with his supposed science. Bendigo, who stopped rather wildly, got down.
6.—Caunt, first to the call of time, waited with his hands well up, but blowing. We believe he was over-trained, and really distressed thus early in the struggle. Bendy manœuvred to the right and left; Caunt approached him, but he retreated. Caunt let fly left and right, but Bendy ducked his canister, and got down with more caution than gallantry.
7.—Left-handed exchanges on the nobs, but of no moment. Caunt made some desperate lunges left and right, but was too high, and Bendy slipped down.
8.—Bendy, after a few dodges, got within Caunt’s guard with his left, and gave him a pretty prop on the cheek. Caunt missed his return, but, seizing Bendy in his grasp, flung him over the ropes. Here he leaned heavily on him, overbalanced himself, and fell over on his own head, bringing Bendy with him, amidst loud shouts and abusive epithets. Caunt fell at the feet of his friends, Tom Spring and the editor of Bell’s Life, the latter of whom was seated on that side of the ring near the centre stake.
9.—Bendy came up full of glee, and played round his man, watching for his opportunity to plant his left. This at last offered, and catching Caunt on the old wound he ducked his head to avoid the return, and got down.
10.—More sly manœuvring by Bendy, who, after dancing about at arm’s length, stole a march, and caught Caunt a stinging smack with his left on the right cheek, drawing more claret, and giving the big ’un more of the tragedy hue. Caunt instantly closed, gave Bendy the Cornish hug, flung him by main strength, and fell on him.
11.—Bendy pursued his eccentric gyrations round his man, when with the swiftness of lightning he popped in his left on the jaw and right on the body, and fell. Caunt, stung by these visitations, followed him, and dropped on his knees close to his man, but luckily did not touch him, and Bendy was picked up laughing and uninjured; in fact, up to this time he scarce showed the semblance of a hit beyond a slight contusion on the lip and left ear.
12.—Bendigo retreated from Caunt’s vigorous charge right and left, and slipped down, but instantly jumped up and renewed the round. After some wild fighting, but no execution worth recording, Bendy went down in his corner, amidst cries of “Foul!” “Unmanly,” &c.
13.—Caunt, on coming to the scratch, let fly with his left, just grazing the top of Bendigo’s scalp. A sharp rally followed, and counter hits with the left were exchanged, Bendy hitting Caunt with such terrible force on the old spot on the right cheek that he knocked him clean off his legs, thus gaining the first knock-down blow, amidst deafening shouts from the Nottingham roughs. Bendigo’s blow was so powerful that he actually rebounded back against the stakes, and Caunt was picked up almost stunned by the severity of the visitation.