146 THEWAY TO LIVE

the Russian again put Jenkins down with a half- nelson. ' Poor ofd Tpm mv hardly abte to lb out of the riop. Hackenschmidt dashed away as briskly as erer. ”

“I would like to have thrown him quicker, ” he said, “but several times when I had good holds on him he ttimed very white and I was afraid of hurt- ing him, so I let up. ”

Despite the strenuous nature or this match, I felt very little fatigue or exhaustion afterwards, thanks to my excellent condition. I was able to demonstrate this or the following evening, when I was matched to throw half-a-dozen wrestlers of considerable local prominence under Grmco-Roman rules. This was a fairly stiff mntract, but I managed to dispose of the whole half-dozen itiside eighteen minutes.

James Parr, the old Lancashire wrestler, then challenged me to throw him the next evening, offer- ing to resist being thrown three times within the hotir. He was, or course, giving a fair amount ot weight, but as he is a very skilful wrestler I con- sider that I did not do at all badly by pinning him down three times in 7 min. 50 see

During my tour in the States I had a rather amus- ing experience in St. Louis. I was there matched against Jean Baptiste, who was the champion wres- tler of the diitrict.

Ae soon as the match was arranged I was attacked by malarial fever, and, consulting a doctor, was or- dered to bed, where I speedily became much worse, my temperature rising as high as 105 degrees.

Under these circumstances, and especially as the doctor considefed tny condition to be highly critical, I sent to the tnatch promoters and informed them that it would be impossible for me to fulfil my eti- gageineiit on the date agreed.

THE WAY TO LIVE 147

They called to see me in a state o( great distress, represented that their outlay had been considerable, that they had sold a large number of tickets, and that it they were forced to return the money they had received for these they would be completely

They implored me to meet Baptiste and used so many arguments that I was practically compelled to assent, provided I found myself able to leave my bed, and although I was still very ill on the day ot the match I managed to struggle down to the scene of our encounter.

Arrived there with the doctor by my side, I felt so weak, ill and giddy, that I could not summon up sufficient energy to change my attife, and was sitting shivering and shaking with fever, when I overheard icy opponent in the next dressing-room asserting that he would not meet me, as I should be sure to kill him. The promoters were busy try- ing to encourage him, and as a last resource brought him into my dressing-room that I might as- sure him that I would be gentle and would handle him tenderly.

I was able to do this confidently, as at the moment I felt scarcely strong enough to wrestle with a child.

However; the. humour of the situation so appealed to me that I had difficulty in restraining my laughter, and after Baptiste, now somewhat more courageous, had retired to get ready I was able to undress and to get into my wrestling trucks.

I felt somewhat better, but was still ao weam that I posftively reeled as I mounted the steps. to the raised platform on which we were to wrestle, and experienced considerable difficulty in getting through the ropes which surrounded the mat.

Once there, my strength seemed to come back to

148 THE WAY TO LIVE

me, and the sight of my timld adversary nerved me to go through the ordeal.

In his state of nervotisriess and terror, he was, per- haps, not a vey• formidable opponent, but he was, nevertheless, very big and strong and but for the nervous strength with which I have been endowed atid which seemed to suddenly come back to me in full tlde, I might have had a stilf bargain.

However, as matters went, I did not experience niuch troiiblc, throwing him three times in fairly quick time, and subsequently a Turk, Ali Muralah by name. This last opponent was styled “the ter- rible Turk, ” but I have never heard of him before that day, nor have I heard of him since. After which I returned to leed and to my doctor’s care and indigriation. He was very wroth and told me that I had practically done my best to commit suicide, but my constitution pulled me through, and I have since experienced no ill effects frotn my adventure.

After finishing my engagements in the States I paid a visit to Canada, where I threw such oppo- nents as I could meet with. The most formidable of these was the celebrated French-Canadian, Emile Maupas, a strong and clever wrestler. He was an adept at the reversed body held, which he tried on with me, but barely succeeded in lifting me mom the mat, then Josing his balance afid Calling backwards. I threw him three times in less that twenty-one and a half minutes, the first fall occupy- ing 7 min. 39 sec., the second 6 mirt. 19 sec., and the

third 7 min. 20 sec.

After visiting the Falls of Niagara, and doing a little sightseeing, I again set sail for En gland, where I was booked to appear for a week in Manchester, before appearing at the Canterbury Music Hall on Whit-Monday.

TI-1E \VAY TO I. IVE 14f

Back again in the British Isles with a long list of music-hall engagements before me and having anticipations or a prospective match with Alex- ander Munro (the Scottish champion) and a possible return encounter with Madrali, it was qtiite clear that on these occasions my opponents would stipu- late for “Catch-as-catch-can” conditions, and that it would be advisable for me to accttstom myself thoroughly to that style of wrestling.

I therefore resolved that, at all events for the time being, I would only engage in contests or exhibitions under that code, more especially as there can be no doubt of its greater popularity among the british people. Several months elapsed before the conditions could be arranged for my en- counter with Munro, and rneatiz hile I had my music- hall engagements to fulfil, but finally, on October 28, 1905, I encountered the British champion before 16, 000 spectators oti the Glasgow Rangers’ Football Ground, at Ibrox Park. The greatest interest was evinced in the encounter on account of my antagonist’s magnificent physique and great reputation. My readers may, perhaps, be interested in comparing our respective weights and measurerrietits on that occasion:

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