The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1860-04-13
Heenan and Sayers-.The Great Fight
Correspondence of Wilkes Spirit of the Times.

Correspondence of Wilkes Spirit of the Times
LONDON, March 9, 1860.-Paramount
above all sporting topics on this side Of the
Atlantic, and disputing successfully the pub
lie interest with the Epson Derby, stands
the great prize fight for the championship;
and whatever may be said to the contrary,
all classes of Englishmen feel a deep concern
for the welfare of their champion. Curiosity,
however, remains most deeply fixed on the
Benicia Boy, and the mystery connected with
his earlier movements, heightened by the
failure of even the British champion to see
him, has excited this feeling to the highest
pitch. He is still located, as l informed you
in my last, on the downs of Wiltshire, near
the town of Salisbury, and you and your
readers will be glad to learn thathe is doing
better, and showing more appropriate out
lines, than he ever exhibited before. He is
certainly at lower mark of weight than at
any time previous to his fight with Morris
sey, and his eye, that unfailing index of con-
dition, sparkles with clearness and vivaci>
ty that were unknown to his yellowish orbs
during his first unlucky preparation. His
form, temper, spirit and agility all pronounce
fine health, and there is evory reason to
believe that be has got safely over the bar,
in relation to those hidden quicksands of the
constitution, which GEL Hakim" so gloomily
predicted just before left New York.
Heenan's training quarters are most ad
mirably adapted to the work he las in
hand, and are immensely superior to the
stinted premises and fever and ague flats to
which be was restricted when preparing for
his first engagement. A fine old farm
house, with broad stone steps, and a
spacious portal, surrounded by high
wall Of gray mason work, is his domicil !;
broad, breezy downs, that spread before
him in inviting undulations, tempt him to
his daily walks of twenty miles, while back
of them run range of hills, up whose steep
ascents his quick and persevering step,
provokes all the expansion necessary for his
lungs.
Having said so much about Heenan,
must not close my letter without speaking
about Tom Sayers and as 1 have had an
interview with him, can do so to the best
advantage.
On entering what was for the occasion
the sanctum scantorum of the champion, l
found company of six people at supper,
five of whom constituted the champions
suite, while he himself sat facing me at the
head of the table, squaring vigorously at
beefsteak. He rose at once, and with a
good deal of manners extended to me, in a
most cordial way, that dexter mawley yclept
the auctioneer," which has been so handy
with the nobs of Jones, Paddock, Perry,
and other aspiring giants of the time. 1
felt it, and observed lis fashion, and found
it small and symmetrically formed, and such
as would cleverly ill the measure of " AL
exandre's ladies eight" With the graceful
ease of a prince in bis own domain, he waved
me to seat, and then the conversation
went on in manner natural to the situa-
tion.
Sayers, though but feet 81 inches in
stature, has the appearance of being above
the middle size. He is a long bodied man,
and, in proportion, is much more powerfully
formed than Heenan it may be said, in
deed, that he is six foot man in bulk,
without the addition of three and half inches
being let into his legs, to set him up in the
world; perhaps without doing him any good.
His neck is marvelously well set into his
shoulders, and the whole carriage and bal
ance of the head indicates power and cour-
age. His face is we'll featured, intelligent,
and pleasing, and his eye is freighted with
that sober, steady thought, which proclaims
man of experience and sense. His arms,
as his trainer told me in short side con-
versation, though long, are neither large nor
very muscular, but the punching muscle
which lies behind the shoulders is the source
of his tremendous strength, and the arsenals
which send forth those terrific flights of
pugilistic shot and that break in binding
stars on bis adversary's eyes Altogether,
though but in fact $50 pound man, he
represents, for all practical fighting purpo-
ses, fifteen or twenty pound more, for his
weight all lies upon his points, and be has
no refuse flesh at all.
In the course of the conversation that
took place at the champions table on the
above described occasion, Sayers took occa-
sion to express little chagrin at not hav-
ing been able to have an interview with, or
to get glimpse of Heenan but" added
he, turning the subject off good humoredly,
"I suppose I shall see him on the day of the
fight, and that will do for me-" He smiled
when l said I was for Heenan and against
him, and merely remarked, "May the best
man win, but may that man be me-" Be-
fore the party broke up he opened for me
the box containing his cups and belts, and
with conscious pride showed me these tro-
phies of his triumphs. He remarked, when
be showed me the massive silver band for
which he and Heenan are to struggle, that
he owned ELS in that, independent of the
championship, having advanced that sum
toward its manufacture in the P. r. associ
alton, and it never having been made good
to him. Whoever gets the belt, therefore,"
said Sayers, "will have to pay me back
that money" The broad, glittering circlet
lay spread upon the table before me, and as
I leaned over it on both hands to trace its
work, I looked up and said, " You want to
keep this thing, don't you Sayers?" He
gazed at me steadily for moment, and his
eye unfolded into mine in style that showed
be weighed the whole of my remark, and
then smile spread over his whole counte-
nance, and with an expression of complete
confidence he answered, "Kes, sir, and
mean to-" At 10 o'clock the champion
retired. On the following morning he LETT