The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-07
CROSSING NIAGARA ON A TIGHT
ROPE BY NJ. BLONDIN.

The most wonderful gymuastic performance,
perhaps, which was ever witnessed, came of al
Niagara Falls on the Both ult It was nothing
less than the passage Of that river at the distance
one hundred and fifty feet above the water, on
a tight rope. The announcement Of the feat
some days in advance was received with in
credulity so improbable was it that any ration,
al being would have the temerity to undertake
it. But truth in this instance seems wilder and
stranger than the imaginations of the masses of
men could conceive. The performance came off
in the presence of thousands Of people. The
rope, eleven hundred feet in length, was three
inches and three-quarters in thickness. 1t was
stretched across the river at an elevation of one
hundred and fifty feet above the water 1t sag
ged in the middle sixtJ feet below the level Of
the two ends, thus making it necessary for N.
Blondin to descend one half the distance, and
ascend the other half. He was deferred from
attempting to tighten the rope more, lest II
should break. The point selected for the feat
is about midway between the falls aud the sus.
pension bridge, and of course in full view Of
those grand works of nature and art Some
ten or twelve thousand persons were present
A correspondent of the New York Tribune
furnishes to the readers of that journal de
tailed and highly interesting account of the af-
fair, from which we subjoin the following ex.
tract
AT precisely half past four o'clock, NJ. Blon
din appeared in the pleasure garden, where the
American end of the rope was fastened There
was short tight rope erected herein, upon
which the daring Frenehman mounted and
went through many of his most graceful and
pleasing feats to the great admiration of the
spectators. He was dressed in a dress similar
to the one frequently worn by acrobats and
public gymnasts, viz: pink tights, buckskin
moGcasns, and spangled tunic of yellow silk;
he was bareheaded, without even the fillet of
white satin that is frequently worn
At fifteen minutes past five he stepped upon
the large rope, where he conversed a few min
utes with his friends in the most cool and IN
concerned manner, having apparently no more
doubt Of his successfully accomplishing this I'M
dertaking than he had of attempting it. As he
stood for minute on the rope, before stepping
out, he addressed the crowd as follows:
"'Gentemen, any one what please TO across.
| carry him on my back
Z" No one seemed disposed to accent the kind
offer, ard, having joked few minutes longer,
he at last started on his perilous journey. He
walked rapidly and firmly, as if he had been on
bridge, until he chose to stop to indulge in
some gymnastic evolutons for few minutes.
He balanced himself on one leg, sat down. and
laid down on the rope at full length: then, re
covering himself, he walked to the middle of
the river, where he again stopped to accom-
plish yet another feat not down in the bill.
Here, standing on the rope with as much in
difference as if it was solid platform, he de
49, l. 1-rl IL Zeal,
steamboat, the Maid of the MIST that had
steamed out to that point to the line was at
tached bottle Of wine by the captain of the
boat, and, the bottle being drawn up by the ad-
venturer, he opened it, and, making a compre-
hensive bow to both crowds on the sides of the
river he drank the health Of all present; then,
throwing the bottle into the river, he walked on,
stopping no more until he reached the Canada
shore He was exactly nineteen minutes cross
ing the river, including stops. On his arrival
on the Canada shore, he was cheered vocfer.
ously. He waited here about half an hour
when he prepared to return. At 6.42, he
stepped on the rope, to commence his return
passage. He rested but once, lying down on
the rope for two minutes, and accomplishing
the return trip in eight minutes.
As soon as he reached the shore, the cheers
and shouting were almost deafening. NJ. Rlop-
din, having been permitted an instant for re-
freshment, was seized by the enthusiastic crowd,
placed on their shoulders, and borne about in
triumph. He was then placed in carriage
and escorted through all the principal streets of
the village, the crowd thronging him on all
sides, and cheering in the widest manner. He
did not appear very much exhausted, and man
ifested no more fear or nervousness than any
ungymnastic novice would at eating his break
fast He announces his determination TO re-
peat his feat at intervals during the summer
Thus was successfully accomplished one Of