New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-07-09
Bioudin the Tight Rope over the Magyar"
River. 4A-s
ny n. z. WILLIS.

we copy the iol0WlDg YiVlu akelch from TIE
Homo Journal Of this week:
AS we approached Niagara, the printed adver-
tisements, distributed through the cars, informed
us that Monsieur Blondin was to walk tue rope
across the Rapids that atternoon--an unexpected
sight, for which We determined TO expedite our
diner and defer the contemplation of the cataract.
My own curiosity consisted mainly in desire to
see the wonderful specimen it must be Of coneen-
traton of thought and will-the man who could
perform such feat, (and do it even with another
man on his back, as Bondin did last year, being
doubtless intellectual as well physical phe
uomena. wished, if possible, to have close look
nte such determined eyes as his must be- when
starting and returning from such a walk
/ A band of music was out-playing the roar of
Niagara very vigorously, and in front of the raised
seats stood rough board shanty which was to be
the dressing room Of the performer; and, reaching
from this TO the rope, was tenced-in passage
way, at the extremity Of which, near the brink of
the preeipiee, | succeeded in getting the most
favorable stand. The view Of the fearful rapids
below; the occasional passing Of railway train
across the chasm by that miracle of mechanic ill.,
genuity, the suspension bridge; the sublime
scenery of the opposite shore and the comments
of the surrounding crowd, helped to while away
the hour or two OF expectation, under very hot
sun.
Once. while we were waiting, my eye was
caught by the passing across the area with a won
derful agility in the hopskipand jump, of short.
sandy-haired fellow who looked as if he might be
lively little carpenters apprentice sent on an
errand headed and clad only in trousers and
shirt-and this q was told by the man on duty)
was Blondn going out to an enclosed area, near
by, where he was to take unseen, his preliminary
half-hour of gymnastics
But Blondin the g Indian Chief (for in that
costume he was to take his wonderful walk) was
curiously regardless of the dignity of his personal
presence. After being dressed in his Aesh.colored
tights, wampum apron, bead necklace and mocca-
SINS he came out, (with his particularly uncombed
sandy hair, uncovered as yet by its crown of
feathers) to look little into the arrangements for
nQrtOrnaupp. fpvnu utas
the little Tecumsell was hopping about, trying the
cords which held the rope to the stanchions cock
ing the pistol which was to be fired to announce
his return, giving directions for the music binding
the ligatures of his balance-pole and answering
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. Lkea
child's soap bubble, the difficulty seemed to be to
get to the ground--to keep from floating away.
During all this time, Of course, had the desired
opportunity for the study of his face. 1t was one
which nineteen people ont of twenty, on seeing it
in crowd, would pass over as wholly y5uninteTest
ing--the twentieth and more obseryant man giving
him a good look, as of the most cody deter
mined and honestly spunky little fellows he had
ever seen. The top of his sknll of course, is very
high with his bump of frmness. His cheek-bones
are prominent, his nose straight and with thin eX-
panded nostrils, his lips thin and firm, his cheeks
hollow and pale, and he wears sandy mustache
and imperial--n Ia Louis Napoleon. Though any.
thing but beauty, he il man it is impossible not
to take fancy to-
Retiring to his shanty for minute or two
after all was arranged, his reappearance was an
nounced by a grand utmost-iana from the band,
and forward came Tecumseh with high crown on
his head-not with a slow pace as would be ex-
pected from an Indian chief, but dancing Jig all
the way to the preepice. 1t was curious how
ever, to see the smile on his lip, and his other signs
OF meriment for the many were altogether me
chanical and artificial, while the closely pressed
eyehd, through which his keen blue eye was
scarcely visible, showed the inner minds utter
ABSORPTION Ue baI
to do.
The rope was drawn from shore to shore, eight
hundred feet across and two hundred and fifty feet
high over 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 bunch of iron wire, |
moccasined feet huggng the two sides of the sway
ing cable, his balanee-pole playing up and down,
and his little figure gradually diminishing as he
walked steadily on and reached the middle of the
chasm, where he proceeded to stand upon one leg
and hold the other out at right angles The spec
tators Of course were breathessly silent--though
found it much more breathless to think of after
ward, than TO see done. He did it with such ap-
parent ease and certainty that it was like seeing
bird fly or a spider walk the ceing-not to be
wondered at for that kind Of creature. I am in
clined to think it would be more startling fbetter
enabling one to imagine himself in the performers
plaeel if he were to do it in common clothes.
Looking scarce larger than a butterfly as he
reached the opposite shore, Blondin remained if-
teen or twenty minutes out of sight, and then the
pistol was fired to announce his return. He came
quietly on to the center, where he stopped to lie
down at full length on the rope and execute
various postRres and gymnastics; and, between
this and his reaching our shore again, he made
several pretended trips, as if losing his balance
the screams Of the affrighted ladies' at this very
eomically varying the tune which was being en-.
deayored BY the band. As he came up the slant
of the rope again, saw that his lips were tightly
drawn together and his features were rigidly set
with the mental exertion. and it was an expression
of face that would be worth painting as type of
determined will Through all the anxiety of a
spectators suspense, | could not help admiring
the little man exceedingly, and was tho first to
give him hand as he stepped the cliff. It was
cold, clanmy grip that he gave me ii return, and
his fingers felt icy and wet. Everybody who could
reach him gave him shake of the hand ON his
way to the shanty, and the enthusiasm for him
seemed universal. And so ended the show y of a
human life put fearfully in peril
Mr. Blondn, / was afterward told, has o wife
and several children, and resides at Niagara, hay-
ing adopted it as his theater of performance. His
professional profits amount to ten thousand dollars
n year.