[Illustration: JAMES BELCHER, of Bristol (Champion of England), 1798-1809.] The second round found the Gasman still grinning with confidence. He tried to get over Neate’s guard with hard chopping blows, but these only fell on the shoulder and did no harm at all. Then there was a hard rally, and Neate sent home another straight left which made his opponent reel: but Hickman was a plucky fellow, and though he found Neate a disappointing antagonist, he would still try to win the encounter off-hand. Neate tried another left which failed, and shortly afterwards slipped down to avoid “Gas’s” in-fighting, which was not to his taste. Hickman’s grin was still confident, but he got the worst of the third round. After a sharp exchange Neate knocked him down, and himself fell from the force of his own blow and the clumsy way in which he stood. The decisive blow of the fight was struck in the fourth round. Hickman aimed a tremendous right-hander at Neate, which he avoided, himself replying with the left. Describing this and the previous round, Hazlitt wrote:-- “I saw (Neate’s) teeth clenched together and his brows knit close against the sun. He held out both his arms at full length straight before him, like two sledge-hammers, and raised his left an inch or two higher. The Gasman could not get over this guard--they struck mutually and fell, but without advantage on either side.... The Gasman aimed a mortal blow at his adversary’s neck with his right hand, and failing from the length he had to reach, the other returned it with his left at full swing, planted a tremendous blow on his cheek-bone and eyebrow, and made a red ruin of that side of his face.” Hickman never stood a chance after that. His smile was gone when he came up, plucky but weak, for the fifth round. Neate hit him thrice sharply and then sent in a smashing right on the mouth, which “grassed” him. He had a terrible time in the sixth, for he tried once more to rush his man and did succeed momentarily in pinning him to the ropes. But there Neate’s greater skill came to his aid. He kept perfectly cool, guarded a couple of dangerous blows, and then countered, first with left, then with right, following one with another at top speed until “Gas” gave ground, until his retreat became indeed a rout. Then Neate coming after him, went for his body and planted four terrible blows about the ribs and stomach, the last of which sent Hickman down. So ill was the Gasman after this round that his second had to hold him tight to prevent him from rolling off his knee.