Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-30

The MORNING OF THE F1GHT.
Throughout the previous evening, most un-
usual hustle was perceptble in the popular thor
Oughfarss OF London, and IL would have been
readily perceptible even to a man who was deaf
and dumb, that there was much more than
ordinary stir on foot. The fl ghting tavernS which
Lad begun To feel the pressure of an extreme ex-
Citement, even IS early as the previous SATURDAY.
night, we-e not only crammed inside with faces
anxicusly Studying the dial of the pugllistc land
lord If they would search him of all the secret
information he possessed but vast crowds swarmed
around the doors, and, in the neighb rhOod of
Nat Lang hams and Owen Swift's thrv bloc ked
UP nearly the entire square IL had been arranged
that tickets for the morning train were to be OBJ
tained at both Of the above named places and
that. accompanying the tickets. should he A
memorandum which would put the fortunate
possessOr so in communication with the railroad
agents, that he would know how to direct his
steps in proper season
Thousands therefore, who did not mediate to
20, aud who could not raise half the money
necessary for such expensive luxury, were
vgilantly on hand at the indicated neiubbor-
hoods. and while not engaged in discussing the
probable chances Of the fight, were drinking in
deep enjoyment by CARING stoIidly at the speech
less tavern windows. In other and better quar-
ters gentlemen were laying out their clotbestand
filling their TASKS for an early start while i'm
many room where bright ghts bazed and the
champagne cOmbed over tie neeks CT suddenly
opened bottles, were gathered jovial groups who
had concluded to run no risk by going to bed
but 10 sit the night out till the hour TO move az
rived. Meanwhile, the PRINCIPALS themselves
entirely free from nervousness through perfection
Cf condition, and being certain, moreover that
no contest would come off till they Were present
slept as soundly as two PoIkers without fear of
discount by the loss even of Il single snOre until
their seconds should shake them by the shoulder
not exactly Ito rise and be hanged but to get
sp aRd fight.
At three O'Clock a m when we issued with
our party from our hotel. found cabs and
HansOm's" flying about through the black
night in every direction, and on arriving at the
station, though il was yet but half past three we
found ourselves anticipates by at least 300 people
For the most part they were gentlemen. and many
one, despite Of his slouched hat and indifferent
attire, could easily be distinguished by nj, lofty
bearing as man Of mark. There certainly was
never gathered for prize fig ht such an audience
before AS soon as the doors of the railway car
riages were open, they slowed themselves RAPIDLY
away, and, as group on group arrived each party
after furtve giance around as IL sensible OF the
Illicit nature OF their enterprise, disappeared in
similar manner. Indeed, the spectacle looked
like mythical congregation of uneasy shadows
bent or some solemn exodus to depths unknown
and waved finally on its errand by speechless
aud gloomy ngure on the platform, who at forty
minutes past four, dispatched three long trains
from London bridge. which arrived in half an
hour at Redhill, on the Br ghton line
There we stopped for four minutes and Wore
well surveyed by body OF police, stationed about
one hundred yards from us with mounted patrol
al their head. The sun shOne brightly and not
cloud was TO be seen glded between the
Surrey bills, past DOrking famed for fogIs) and
reached a village called Shalford where we auain
halted for two minutes. Then diverging on to
Camp at AldershOtt, and were shortly afterwards
set down at FarnLrOugh, after a round a bout ioBr-
ney Of ~ miles from London. We had thus been
travelling on four distinct branches OF railway:
We started for Brighton, diverged towards Dover
turned again to Guildford, and finally ran
past the confines of AscOt's Royal Heath and con-
unued down the SOutham ptOn line to the place of
rendezvous walk Of 500 yards on a 18th line
of railway which here meets that on which We
had travelled, brought us TO the field Of battle
Jumping over two fences. the chosen spot was
reac hed-a green field within 81 wards Of the line
Here the veteran Tom Oliver, with his aids-de-
camp soon arranged the stakes and rope; tic kets
for the inner ring disti outed at ten shilings
each, and the best company we ever saw at prize
fght seated themselves around the circle
A large number Of gentlemen, well-known in
the sporting world. and who for years have with
drawn their patronage from the prize-ring. were
on this great occasion amongst the most anxious
spectators. One old sportsman cannot forbear
naming, Mr. OSbaldestOn, aged seventy-five. a
breeder Of rece-horses for many years once the
owner Of the best pack Of fox hounds in the
world, a patron OF the prize-rng half century
ago, and In his youthful days Cricketer of
celebrity, he came from his retirement to witness
the contest between the champions of the two
bemispheres. The father and brother of Tom
Savers were also present among the crowd which
numbered az least twelve hundred Order was
soon called; ''Sit down in front.n was the cry;
and an inner circle Of at least twelve deep obeyed
In another minute the cap Of Savers was thrown
into the ring, amid the cheers Of Lis friends
This example was soon followed by Heenan
who was loudly applauded by all parties s.The
boy was rehuF before the lsngIish cudmpiOD.
who pulled OF no less than three shirts These
little preliminaries having been gone through
tie ColorS of the cOmbdtans tied TO the take
Those Of the Benicid Boy by his seconds James
Cusack and Jack Macdonald, and those Of Tom
savers by Jenny w elsh and Harry Brunton who
acted as his OH iatin2 mi nisters The toss for
choice OF ground having fallen To the lot of John
Heenan, lie, a matter Of course. took the corner
Ia which the sun was behind him. Tke pre.tin =
of the rival pugilists was very hearty and so cor
daily did they shake each other by the hand that
cheers he
tinued for some time. The odds Of , to l. which
were freely laid on Sayers in London decreased
to to as soon as Heenan began to strip.
THE MEN.
AS the men confronted each other for the first
time, the contrast between them was glaringIy
distinct, Heenan overlapping the champion in the
most commanding style, and exhibitinp a suDe
riority Of bulk that threatened unsPeakable dan
gers What his true weigh was we are sorry that
we cannot say, for, not being obliged to 90 pub
Iicly 70 scale in battle for the champ pionshi D.
which is always at ''catch weights''-he had
shrewdly availed himself Of his privilege with
the double object Of keeping his anita gOnis in the
dark, and Of avoiding any confutation cf his early
statement that be would fight at less than II stone
lbs. We should judge from his appearances
that he weighed as much as 13 stone S lbs (ls7 J
though IL is lot impossible we may either under
o. OVer-rate him. Whatever his weight might
have been, however, 1t was well disposed upon
his nghting- points, and his condition did great
credit TO Cusack and Macdonald. who bye the
bye, when he nrst uncovered, betrayed a look of
Indeed, a universal and spontaneous buzz of ad-
rniTaton went round the ring when his skin first
spaTkled In the light, and not the least curious Of
the observers was Tom Savers himself ssweI
be is a hearty fellow, sure enough =" said he in
voluntarily. and i'm mediately resumed hts pre-
paration. His skin was very clear, glossy, and
as we said before, sparkling In its whieness, and
the muscles punched and knOtted in his arms
and about his shoulders, as they are represented
in the pictures of the old Roman gladiators. His
les were firm and rather well-develOped, aud
what they lacked in the fertilization ofthe thigh
was compensated by their aptitude for active
movement. HIS fault, IL he had any, was in the
dellcacy Of his loins, indicating disposition Ia
break up in that Fter II harraSsed by prolonged
hostlittes but the power which swelled and
branched above, and knOtted every inch OF his
bre4st and arms, seemed to be guarantee aga nst
serious trial in that quarter lie put up his
baads I'm graceful manner, his left being well
Prtended. rs IL feeling out gtngefly for bis man,
while his right was held handily across his
breast almost at right angles, the first being not
more than six or eight inches away as II Il bore
a cnirass His position was erect, leaning neither