72 Saddle and Sir lorn. 



in the old style amid a shout which might have been 

 heard at Crossfell, but just missed him when he struck 

 with the right leg, and Little put in his unfailing but- 

 tock. Mason of Blencogo was a strong fellow, with 

 no great science or action, and how he disposed of 

 Nichol of Bothel, who was one of the best hypers 

 of the day puzzled not a few. No one understood 

 the art better than Nichol — whose big, curly head 

 and a double-eyed squint made him "good to tell" 

 in a ring ; but he was generally rather big in 

 condition, and turned nervous when he was pushed 

 hard. 



Richard Chapman,* who won the belt, like Jack- 

 son, of Kennyside, four times at Carlisle, was only 

 " nineteen come Martinmas," weighed twelve stone, 

 and stood five-foot-ten in his stockings, when he made 

 his first journey, in 1833, to The Swifts. He had 

 never been there before, and he and two others drove 

 from Penrith in a gig, and didn't know a single soul 

 in the town, or where they could put up. As it hap- 

 pened, Chapman and one of his gig. partners entered 

 the ring together, and just as the former and his first 

 opponent were taking hold, he saw his friend "flying 

 over a man's head!' The omen was not a very plea- 

 sant one, but he set to work nothing daunted, and 

 disposed of Armstrong (" Little "), of Bushel Bank, 

 who strained his shoulder in the tussle. In the third 

 round he was drawn against George Irving. "Geordie" 

 started with his right leg and struck quick ; then he 

 tried the cross-buttock, but Chapman slipped by both 

 legs, and threw him right back out of his arms. The 

 old champion was above bearing any malice to " the 

 young lad oot of Lancashire," as he was generally 

 rumoured to be, although he was born and bred in 

 Patterdale. " Geordie " was then a publican at Bolton 

 Gate — which never will forget him— and had a tent 



* Now landlord of the Ship Inn, Maryport. 



