, 1865-08-14

CATARACT HocsE. Niagara Falls, Aug. II.
Tour correspondent, chanc 1og to lie over
at this place yesterday afternoon, was among
the spectators at the performance Of Leslie,
the competitor Of Blondin in the foolhardy
feat Of crossing the riyes below Suspension
Bridge on n>Aght rope. Il came very near
being the last Of Leelit's exhibitions in that
line, or rather On that line He has, It seems,
arrangements With the hotel keepers and
other PARTIES interested in Niagara crowds,
to give series Of these entertainments, and
In addition receives the gate money for ad-
mission to the enclosures at tile ends Of the
rope, on either bank, which give The best
Views Of the performance. On this occasion
Les1Ie came down to the scene Of operations
about 4 O'Clock In q carriage, accompanied
as usual by his wife and child. The former,
Il she feels anxiety, has the skill To di;sem-.
BILE 1t, and publicly dismtssss her Epouse
ferth to his narrow line Of business With An
IN easy emile. Leslie Is Irish, and quite
hero with his Celtic friends. He varies
Bloudin's {eats with considerable ingenuity,
and really manages to combine qultE d eatis-
factory amount Of blood curdllng. features
for the de1ectation OF gazers.
He first went rapidly ont upon the rope
viii only his balancing pole and displayed
wcuderta1 agility and strength IN The delica-
CT Of poisc and ease with which be went
through the more common roles Of the rope
walking fraternity. He hung Ut one hand.
By one leg, be I'D everything but hang By
his eyelide, and came 50 near this, that It
would have scarcely added to the entertain
mint had he done 50.
thin be went back up The cusve ofthe rope
to the bank, and after temporary disap.
u ua1ance came forth With hls feet IN 1'tdeh
f5.1c cnah{ {fAf.t W a "a
red firmly 10 the bottom OF common splint
path basket, which rose about his calves
fIke the vide boots Of the old. cavaliers.
Thus shoe, he set CT on bis journey. i was
q slow and painful one. The spectators
about q Thousand IN nImber, held their
breath as be made hts deliberate and careful
p,cs1ese, SWINGING his legs IN vide circles to
cary forward his novel foot geAs. Once IN
the Iniadle Of The rope he hit one basket
with the other and thrill ran through the
SPECTATORS at the evident Ehnck it gaee him.
Re however CROSSED IL 9 aafety, et,ks, aad .,,ara
Much fat'gued by the etrain on nerve and
nuscle, te waited for quite an Interval BE-
3o5e introducing his thtrd act. In this be
came Gu with three pals Of water, which he
| vas to carry oyer the river wi'hout splllsng.
| One vas Ii. ID in Tin case 1tted to bis head
| like cap. The Others were fastened over
his hard5 by Rt,eps: and 70 he set out carry
| sug his balancing pole. He had, however,
tve,ratfd his strength, 50 his friends cay,
I Who blame him fer not declining further
tettof sk;l1 On ttat day. He moved stead!-
ly down The 1cne, bnt with less lightnees
and confidence in bis motions Than formerly.
| He had preceded half WAY actoss the river,
| ard Just ccmmcEced the ascent Of the vide
crrye Ct the rope, wien suddenly he became
| unsteady, ATTEMPTED In vain to save himself,
| ard 1c1l frc1n The rope. The pals vent down
sheer two hundred ttet Into the swim rush Of
waters husten{Ig to the whirlpool. The
steetst31s el9aea theIf eyss IN ho51or It.
OF lost, but In falling he caught BY enc
nl-t, AID 50 hung. It was not
. tuck Ct The lopt-wnfker. to lend
irish zcEt to bis performance. BE caught at
The rope haclhanded, and arrested his fall
violently at arms length. Il was With diM~
bap1. and stlll more d,lhcnlt was It for him
to draw himself npon The rope: Indeed 1t
ecened doubtful for many painful seconds
| tl1st seemed like minutes whc' her he c1nld
regain the top of the rope. Bis struggles
! were watched with silence but with the
/ everywhere apparent apprehension that 1t
was i struggle Of lie or dcath. he hung by
one lcg and both hands. for still longer
! period rntii t'y violent exettion he threw
bimscu acfcss The rope. He then sat for At
| 1,aet ten minutes on the rope Until he recoY-
e:cd. . little .fom. the effects Of the fearful
exposure, kn0 maQe his way TO shore, Quill
| TIL 1ne rest Of Lis performance and being
rsp.d]y d1ircn away In close carriage. The
sla,1n snorE bis h1tnas Was intense, thoash
they presently 20 nearly recovered as to in
du1gt fn el,ac!}y jokes at Lezlic's sell. II was
! er:dent, however that 1t caue lcar being
fhtalepd To rash career, ard 1t Is not believed
! Ls!it' j,hysica condition will enable him to
! 1csnme Its Nats at present. There we're pre-
| sent orly about one Thousand persons, the at
fractions baying lost their sharpness. Perhaps
! this fresh hint ofits deadly and imminent psfil
! Will revive the attendance of those who 90
: to such scenes with the innsr conviction,
which 's neither the wish nor the hope, thai
they nny on ZONE Of these scenes be sin at
the death" as those who still lire to tell Of
Iay}pg see,, Sam Fateh's last lsap, The whple
Dutinete,, OF which. Leslie and Blondin are
! the jcsders, Il debastng and inhumau,. md
T oa s s. fssstaa n5aps ss e. tays5,s saas
b 5nsh borsor m rea!ixSa q fhss s FldsS 10 ines1ly
!. overlook IL alie. ts;.so: 80; = = 80
. st.t.&k rtfFst .&s@sa- I