378 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



pletely filled with men from end to end, and from 

 side to side ; there was no parapet or barrier of any 

 kind to prevent the combatants from pushing one 

 another into the canal ; yet so equally balanced was 

 the strength of the two parties, that after nearly half 

 an hour's struggle very few men had been thrown 

 from the bridge, and not the smallest advantage 

 had been obtained either by Castellani or Nicolotti. 

 Those in the rear, who had as yet done nothing but 

 push the others forward, now came to the front, and 

 the combat was renewed with fresh vigour, but for a 

 long time without any result. Again and again were 

 the combatants changed ; but it was past noon before 

 Antonio, whose thoughts had been gradually diverted 

 from the imognita by the struggle that was going on, 

 perceived symptoms of weariness amongst those inde- 

 fatigable athletes. Here and there a knee was seen 

 to bend, or a muscular form to sink, under some well- 

 directed blow, or before a sudden rush of the opposite 

 party. First one, then another of the combatants 

 was hurled from the bridge into the canal an im- 

 mersion that, dripping with perspiration as they 

 were, not unfrequently caused death or severe illness. 

 Nevertheless the fury of the fight seemed rather to 

 increase than diminish. So long as only a man here 

 and there fell into the water, they were dragged out 

 by their friends ; and the spectators even seemed to 

 feel pity and sympathy for the unfortunates, as they 

 saw them carried along, some covered with blood, 



