THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



that, a second and a third; but between these falls Pettit threw 

 Slack twice off tlie stage, and, indeed, Pettit so much dreaded 

 Slack's falls, that he ran directly at his hams, and tumbled 

 him down, and by that means gave Slack an opportunity of 

 making the falls very easy. When they had been fighting 

 eighteen minutes, the odds ran against Slack, a guinea to a 

 shilling ; whereas, on first setting out, it was three or four to 

 one on his head ; but after this time Slack shortened Pettit so 

 as to disable him from running and throwing him down in the 

 manner ho had done before, but obliged him to stand to close 

 fighting. Slack then closed one of his eyes, and beat him very 

 much about the face. At twenty minutes, Pettit grew weaker. 

 Slack stronger. This was occasioned by Slack's straight way 

 of fighting. At twenty-two minutes, the best judge allowed 

 Slack to have the advantage over Pettit very considerably, as 

 he was then recovering his wind, which was owang to game. 

 When they had boxed twenty-four minutes, Pettit threw Slack 

 again over the rails. This, indeed. Slack suffered him to do, 

 as by that means he fixed a blow under Pettit's ribs, that hurt 

 him nuich. Whilst Slack was again getting upon the stage (it 

 was not half a minute before he was remounted), Pettit had so 

 mucli the fear of his antagonist before his eyes, that he w^alked 

 oft' without so much as civilly taking leave of the spectators, or 

 saying anything to any person. This the backers call rogue- 

 ing of it, for it is generally thought that he ran away full 

 strong. The whole time of their fighting was twenty-five 

 minutes ; and this morning the battle was given to Slack, who 

 drew the first ten guineas out of the box. Thus ended this 

 dreadful combat.' 



The month of May having arrived, our hero, after a fort- 

 night's good sport in trout-fishing, repaired to ' the great city ' 

 for several weight}'^ purposes. One was, to make up matters 

 with his uncle, by convincing him, which was true, that he had 

 no business in Parliament ; another, to purchase two more 

 horses at Tattersall's ; and here lie was guided by the advice 

 of one able to render it. 



' Purchase those,' said his adviser, ' wliich liave been ridden 

 over grass countries, such as Leicestershire or Northampton- 

 shire, where the fences are higli and ivide, and where tliere 

 are brooks. Half the horses called hunters are all but 

 worthless to hard-riding men, by having been ridden in 



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