In a second the whole crowd surged together in one confused melee, everybody hitting at everybody amid a Babel of shouts and curses.

The combat swayed out on to the race-course, where half a dozen men fell over the ropes and pulled as many more down with them, and those that were down fought on the ground, while the others walked on them and fought over their heads.

Carew, who was quite in his element, hit every head he saw, and knocked his knuckles to pieces on Black Andy Kelly's teeth.

The fight he put up, and the terrific force of his hitting, are traditions among the mountain men to this day.

Charlie Gordon was simply mad with the lust of fighting, and was locked in a death-grip with Red Mick; they swayed and struggled on the ground, while the crowd punched at them indiscriminately.