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4^ Affairs iof the molt fdentifir boxer? of the dav. Kach party was powerfully fupporied, and a great many thoufand pound* fiaked upon the event.For this purpofe a rtage was crrtffed at Oibham, and about one o'clock on Wedncfday Jan. 9. Humphries attendtd by Johnfon a* hia fecund, and Tring his bottle-holder, apprarcd thereon, ault;| was received by reiterated huzzas and plaudits; after bowing to the audience he proceeded to firip. His drcf9 when ready to engage, was, a pair of fiannrl drawer*, tied with coloured ribbon, white fill; (lockings with gold coloured clocks and a pair of light Ihnes fafiened with black llrings. While he was preparing, Mendoza, attended by Jacobs as his fecund, and another Jew, his !ot-tle-ho'der, mounted the rtagr, and was alfo received with loud acclamations, from a prodigious concourfe of Jews who flocked from all parts Mmdnza's drefis was more plain than that of Humphries.The price of admiflion into the paddock wherein the ftagr was eretfed, was haif-a-guinea, and many hundreds paid. The avenues and doors were guarded by Tring, Ryan, Dun, handle, Ward, and many other noted bruifcrs ; who with uplifted gigantic arms for a while intimidated the populace from breaking into the places appropriated for the amateurs ; but the mnb Conn broke down the fences and feized on every vacant place.The combatants were prepared for the enfd in a few minutes alter they came upon the Aape, and on fluking hands, it was begun by Mendoza with all the heat and impctuofity of a man dctrrmi red on victory. Humphries appeared af tomflied, and retreated, guarding and catching the blows of his adverfary, which were thrown in with much atflivity andSuickndj. Full fifteen minutes did the rw attack, with fuch apparent fuperion-fy.that thcodds, which wcretwo to one a-gainft h m, changed to the like proportion in his favougn Humphries remained undaunted, ItifTadting on the defence. It is yet a matter of difpute, whether his conduct 111 the onfct was manaurre, nr whether the nau'JtlU flyle in which he was attacked, added to the unexpected vigour of his antagomft, made him give way until opportunity offered to cfifplay his flrill to advantage. 1 am inclined to give credit to the latter; for early in the battle he was driven into a corner of the ff -gc, whereEngland. Vo!. 50.he rrcrived a blow which knocked him a-gainftthrrails.andhi- body was rufpending. in this firuation, Mrndozt wis preparing' a fecund, which would have driven him off tne fhige, hid nor Johnfbn caught it. On thilt; many called oui Fou' ! Foul ! ~ »ut the umpirrs, as well as every amateur, drclar. lt;1 thar J.,hnf m wasfuftified, Hum. phries being cunfiifered as complrtrly knocked down. The fiige, fro n the wrtnefs of the day, wa- v, ry flipperv, which proved more unfavourable to Humphries. Hr t»..k off* hi« limes: but filk fiockings did not contribute to remedy the inconvrnirnre ; he therefore had rc-c •uric to a xvnrfted pair which he had thrown off on dripping, in which he flood more firm, and began r.. manifefi his great fuperiority in gy-nnailic exrrcde. He ftoud up to his antagonifi, who was flushed with fuccefs, in attitudes which would hive arreflrd the pencil of a paint-cr, and with an undaunted fortirudr.From this moment the odds a»*ain changed in favour of Humphries. He threw in a blow near the loins of his auta-gomff, with great judgement: and the next round, planted a more dreadful one mhisne-k, which fickened and atrnofl d 1 fabled him. Mend zi, however, ftiH contriiurd ‘he battle with much determination of fpirit, until cxtravafated blood and cxhauflrd wind, made him fo help-Jel.«, that he lay on the flage unahle to move, and yielded the cootc-ft A battle, in which were d'lplaycd fo much dexterity and fk'll, with fuch equality of ftrength and mufJc, perhaps never was tought, and certainly 1 here nrver wanaconirlt on which fo much money depended. The battle la fieri 39 minutes. The Jew was cairied off the iialt;r totally exhauft.d, and fecmmgly iiiclef-. Humphries was not nut of hrt rth, and fuffrrcd no material injury from the blows.The t'iends of Mendoza fiill complain of J ,ht.f.m'» interic rence, at 3 time when the blow he caught w..uld have gamed the battle. Th * is illiberal, after the determination of the umpires. On the other fide, a charge is made of Mendoza’s attempt, when they were doled, to g-ube the eye ol Humphries, and when every uther exertion was incffrdual, to pull him by the noli*. This was inhuman and pitiful, and which called loudly lor forr-thing more than interference of the fecund.Plymouth, Dec. 37 The Pegafns frigate, from Cork, commanded by his RoyalHigbncfc
Newspaper Details
Scots Magazine
London, Middlesex, GB
Tue, Jan 01, 1788
Page 26
Full Page
Clipped by
David L.
WI, USA 15 Jun 2017
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