The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-13 00:00:00

PERILOUS POSITION OP A ROPKWALKSR.

The second of a series of
.1'0,4 which commenced
with Mr. E. T. Smith's proprietorship of Cremorne took
place yesterday, the notable feature of this occasion being
the performance of the " Female Blo•din," who walked
along a rope which had been stretched from the esplanade
across the river to the hour-mills on the opposite bank. This
feat, not so perilous, perhaps, as it may appear to be, was
nevertheless invested with a sufficient quantity of danger
by unforeseen circumstances. The rope on the Cremorne
side was deficient in the number of guy-lines and weights
necessary to keep it steady ; and when the performer
reached the timber support over which the main curd
passes, at • distance of some five or six hundred feet from
the esplanade, she found it difficult to proceed. After
some futile attempts had been made by tie at-
tendanta to remedy the imperfection, the "Female
Biondi's" started from the halting plain where
she bad stayed for more than half-an-hour, and
proceeded about • dome yanls along the reraainiug portion
of her journey ; but she found the rope so very f►r from
deserving its ordinary appellation that she was obliged to
back with all possible speed to the little perch en the
summit of the support. Here she stopped for another
tedious interval, and then for • second tune essayed • cum.
pletion of her task. By dint of courage and perseverance
she reached the middle of this final length of
cord; but her position was now the more
unpleasant, from the equal difficulty of returning
or going on. The rope swayed so violently that she was
compelled to take • sitting pasture, and fresh attempts
were made to thug lines over the oasis cord,with the purpose
of steadying it. These attempts were equally abortive with
the first, and had to be abandoned. Meanwhile the per.
former had wisely chosen her seat Dear a couple of weights
and their attendant guy-lines. It was very fortunate that
she was able to do this, as the final incident of the
scene proved. Dusk was coming on, when she
threw her pole down in despair, and began to
lower herself by the small lines. Though they must
have cut her hands terribly she maintained her hold with
a courage that all the spectators will have admired, even
while they trembled for her fate. A boat had been rowed
to her relief, and she descended into it amid hearty cheers.
The sight of the river banks, and of Bastsessa•bridge,
crowded as they worst° excess, will long he remembered. It
is probable that no such scene has ever been wit-
nessed at this well-known spot. Mr. Smith's second Jae,
allowing somewhat for the contretemps we have described,
was a most successful one. Of the "Female Moodie" we
may say that ahe seems competent to perform the task
which she her undertaken to repeat several times, and that
when the proper arrangement of her rope has been effected
she will in all probability make her walk across the Thames
with safety and ease. The distance which she traversed
yesterday must have been full two-thirds of the satire
lee &h of rope, and she showed no fear until arriving at the
point where actual danger became apparent.