New-York daily tribune., 1859-07-01
M. BLONDINS TIGHT-ROPE FEAT.


"H~ ftN tDu UFOut hDONc ~so asTAiSt
below. A. mere fcolhsrdy exploit this fest has sci
dom been equaled, and as sn exhibition u be'e Il
stands without parable. Tbe mot daring performer
on the tight rope have never attempted anything
srproachirg this perf ruarce Of NJ. Bondins il dfi
cufty aLd dsuger. l. is true that dangerous ascea'
Sims have been frequently made frgm tie ground
TO the tops Of lofty spires, or lssts Of vessels and
that crossings have been successfully attempted
frvn the top Of Vbe high building to another, upon
.br,c rope, bat oil these expVs fade into insgth-
esLfe l., the -i"A Of the Niaga,s Fall achieve res
The single rope looked ike thfe ad spanning the
cbssm which is eleven hundred feet vice and hnn-
dred and fifty feet deep Through the bottom Of the
abyss the Niagara River al thai place OF an unknown
eSd unreasonable depth rusbes along witt furlo1s
swiftless to the whirlpool below the slightest usstep
ofhe fcOltsrdy adYelturer would have hurled him from
bic precsrcu- fco,ig, ard he would have disappeared
from mortal eyes until his marged body should be
picked up sar below, probably il Lake Ontario. But
this astrophe did not enter into the calculation "i
NJ. ,.Nondn, lie did not propose l' iaN' be haa
s,rechAn bis rope acrus tire river 10 wax dpo- an'
NJ. 10 ,ur,.he from aud the result proved that h.-
de.sndense m bic self possession and sure-.o.,edness
was DO. misplaced.
NJ. Blopoin j. FreA Gilman by birth, and hns been
for several years familiar 10 the inhabitants Of the
principal cities in America as public performer, and
bis marvellous fea;s the rope have been the woa.
DEL @. sll who have teheld them.
He was engaged in France in 1855 by the agent of
Mr.. William NIble to pelforn With the Ravei troupe
at Nibos Garden, i'll this city. and il pGrsuance OF
that engagement he came to New.Yoik, and first ap-
peaed in public at that hoUse in the Fail Of the Year
above mentioned Blondin is not the real name Of
this performer, hi, genuine oognomen being Emile
Graveei. He assumed the nauie oi Bondtn, brctu.
at the time tf his appearance here the two brothers
Javeli were members OF the Ksvel company, and 1t
was deemed desirable to avoid confoundipg the men
by the similarity Of names
A cuI.ous apeodote is told of N. Diondin, Wi ich
shows rat his most wonderful eymr aso f7ats aie not
slssys accomplished or the rope On the morning Of
hie fret aienc aucr at re1esrsal at NIB os GardeU,
the Rsyes were rohearsDg TIE Betou'n Arab en-
ersihmeIt, then attractive feature in their bi'l'
TIE particular fea. at the nstsni under consideration
was ibe throwing summerset from an inclined plspe
over lumber of muskets with hayonets attacued.
The nusktts were h.lc by ndmbrr OF men on the
stage WITH beytDet- presented OF the " A'ab, who,
By sudden egile movement, was TO turn sumner
sct and eSricste himself from his apparently danger
ous position The men were presenting their mu kets
upGer the direction OF NJ. Antoine Ravel, who was
Arranging them in position. This was not go easily
done. .or the rather stupid, aud M.
Antoine was rather particular, as he him
self was TO be the Arab" TO do the 81 ter
rife leap" ard he did not propose to be spit
ted on the brstlirg bayonets. lie grew somewhat
impatient at the fuiuie of the mnsket-bearers to
scty comprehend his desires and he finally mounted
the inclined plane, and from that commanding
LIT about TO give further and 6na orders
when NJ. Blondin who from the of the group on
the stage had been tapping bis boot with little
switch and watching the proceedings without great
desl of sppsrert interest, suddenly, with half dozen
quick steps, dasheo up the inclined place and wit
almost superhuuan spring, threw a complete sum
mefset over Antoine, Bedouins, muskets, biyouets
aud all and slighted easily his feet the distant
Size Of the stage where he Instantly resumed bis for
mel lazy isless attitude and the little switch tapped
tie little boots again, with much composute as if
the little boots had not just GENE down from an aerial
excursicn over a couple Of dozen OF French buyonets
Even the Rayel brothers who not altogether un-
accustomed TO that sort Of thing themselves, were as.
teunced at the reckless daring of their new recruit
auc from that instaLt NJ. Bondn took first position
in that company Of inimtable eymnasts.
A.. b ondiD Is ntw SO years old weighs l42 pounds,
n,d is about FIVE feet gbt inches in hight. He is
a blonde his hair and ey being very light ne wears
shgbt tut of hair on bis chin, bot whiskers his
eye is light gray, very keen aud piercing, aud his
manner Is that Of perfectly sellpcssessed and
With the most complete confidence in himself Those
who have seen BIN perform on the rcps Will renem-
Der the and precision as well as the ex-
usordiIary grace with which he accom-
plishes his feats. He has been particularly noted
for leapitg throwing suminersets, and doag
other things requiring eck!esness and daring, rath-
er than for dancing poOturng, and the more safe and
quet performances
NJ Boz Gin performed with the Ravel troupe
number Of years, then lie Teot with the Marinetti
company, and for the past year or tw) ne has been
interes.ed in circus company as part proprietor.
He has wife whom be married in this country, and
has had by her two children
When NJ. Blondn wett ID Niagara early in the
present month to make preparations for his late
achievement tie persons to whom lie first men,
toned his plan Of crossing tie nyer on rope,
very naturally regarceo him "a q madmsni but
Il " little knew the determined character OF the
httle Frenc eman. After nun ber of days they were
couviIced that he really intended to make the attempt
lesp,ke Of and then they looked cn him With Won
Der. Having calculated the length ofthe rope, ne at
once ordered il from New.York, AMI while awaiting
its coming be set himself about his prepare
t;ons. Uix6r.t intention was to anchor one end Of
his cord on Goat slard aud stretch j. thence D tne
bank near the Clifton House, right across through the
Jaws o the Horse Shoe Falls. He did not anticipate
apy additional Danger from the mist and spray which
would keep the rope constantly wet and which night
partially obscure his vision He thought it quite ea,y
10 preserve bis tquanimity in the very mouth oi
-. tt.s, -baf IA