Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-07-21
Mlistellan
BLoNDIN ON THE TIGHT ROPE OVER THE
NIAGARA RIVER.
BY n. P. WILLIS.

ANinkhiaYNht plluttu huNtlkttI
ments, distrito:5d through the cars, inform us that
Monsieur Blondin was to walk the rope across the
Rapids that ofternCon-an unexpected sight for
which we determined to expedite our dinner and
defer the contemplation of the cataract. Ny own
curiosity consisted mainly In a desire to see the
wonderful specimen it must be Of concentration
Of thought and will--the man who could perform
such a feat, (and do it even with another man on
his back, as Blondin did last year, being doubt
Iess an intellectual as we'll as a physical phenome-
non. l wished, if possible, TO have a close look
into such determined eyes as bis must be, when
starting and returning from such a walk.
A band Of music was outplaying the roar of
niagara very vigorously and, in front Of the raised
seats, stood a rough board shan,y which was to be
the dressing room Of the performer; and, reaching
from this to the rope, was n fenced-in passage
way, at the extremity of which, near tho brink of
the p%recipice, l succeeded in getting the most fa-
vorable stand. Tho view Of the fearful rapids be.
low the occasional passage of a railway train
scrOss the chasm by that miracle Of mechanic in.
genuity, the Suspension Bridge the sublime see.
merry OF the opposite shore, and the comments Of
the surrounding crowd, helped to while away the
hour OF two of expectation, under a very hot.
sun.
Once, while we we're w%aiting,my eye was caught
by the passing across the area, with d wonderful
asiifty in the hop-skip-and jump, of a short, sandy
haired fellow, who looked as if he might be q live
ly little carpenters apprentice sent on an GRAND
bare headed and clad only in trousers and shirt
and this | was told by the man on duty) was
B!0ndin, going out to an enclosed area, near BY,
where he was to take, unseen, his preliminary
half hour Of gymnastics.
But Blondin the Indian Chief (ror, in that cos
tune, he was to take his wonderful walk was Gu
Iiously regardless Of the dignity Of his personal
presence. After icing dressed in his flesh colored
tights, wampum apron, bead necklace and mecca.
sins, he came out(With his particularly uucombed
sandy hair, uncovered as yet by Its crown Of Ccath-
ers,) to look q little into the arrangements for his
performance. For fifteen or twenty minutes the
little Tecumseh was hopping about, trying the
cords which Leld the rope to the stanchions, cock
ing the pistol which was to be fired announcing
his return, giving directions for the music, bind
ing the ~ligatures of his balance pole, and answer
ing very merrily all the jokes and questions Of the
lockers on. In his motions, back and forward he
took no regular step he simply bounded. Like q
child's soap-bubble. the difficulty seemed to be
10 get to the ground-to keep from floating away.
During all this time, of course, | had the desir-
ed opportunity for the study Of his face. l. was
one which nineteen people out Of twenty, on see.
Ing it in q crowd, would pass over as wholly uu-
interchangeable twentieth and more oSicrvant
man giving him a good look, a: one of the most
coolly determined and honestly spunky little fel.
lows he had ever seen. The top Of his skull, of
course, is very high with his bump of frmness.
His cheek bones are prominent, his nose straight
and with thin expanded nostri!s, his lips thin and
firm, his cheeks hollow and pale, and he wears a
sandy mustache and impesia!-a la Louis Napole-
on. Though anything bu. a beauty, he is a man
it is impossible not to take q fancy to. !
Retiring to his shanty for a minute or two, after
all was arranged, his Temperance was annourc-
ed by q grand utrnost-iana from the band, and for
ward came Tecumseh with a high crown of many
colored feathers on his head-uut with q slow pace
as would be expected from an Indian Chief, but
dancing a jig all the way to the p~recipice. 1t was
curious however, to see that the smile on his lip,
and his other signs 0? merriment fer the many
were altogether mechanical and artificial. willie
the closely pressed ey olid, through which his keen
blue eye was hardly visible, showed the inner
AA'hA q o''NA "boOA pN'Ou II ~ III bhC
work he had to do.
The rope was drawn from shore TO shore, eight
hundred feet across and two hundred and if,y feet
high over the Niagara rapids-a perilous bridge
for human feet to walk ] took hold Of his arm
as he stood trying the rope, for a moment, with
the ball of his foot. 1t was like a bunch of iron
wire, wholly unimpressible. And away he went
his moccasined feet ~Luggipg the two sides Of.
the swaying cable, his balance pole playing up
and down, and his little figure gradually diminish
ing as he walked steadily on and reached the
middle Of the chasm, where he proceeded to stand
upon one leg and hold tho other out at right an
giles! The spectators Of course were all breathless
Silent-though ! foun / it much more breathless to
think Of, afterward, than to see done. lie did it
with such apparent ease ard certainty that it was
like seeing a bird fig or a spider walk the ceiling
not to be wondered at for that kind of creature.
| am inclined to think it would be more startling,
DIETER enabling one to imagine himself in the
performers place. if he were to do it in common
clothes.
Looking scarce larger than q butterfly as be
reached the opposite shore, Blondin remained fl
teen or twenty minutes out OF sight, and then the
pistol was fred to announce his return. lie came
quietly on TO the center, where be stopped to lie
down at full length on the rope and execute vari-
Gus pastures and gymnastics and, between this
and his reaching our shore again, he made sever
al pretended trips, ms if losing his balance-the
screams Of the a~frrighted ladies, at this, very COM
ically varying the tuno which was being endeayor-
ed by the band. As he came up the slant Of the
rope agAin, ! saw that his lips were tightly
:
With the mental e1ertion, and il was en- expression
of face that would be worth painting as a type
of determined will. Through all the anxiety of
a spectators suspense, ! could not help admiriug
the liule man exceedingly. and | was the first to
give him a hand as be stepped on the elf. 1t
was a cold elammy grip that he gave me in r~etorp,