The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-11-13
ACROSS ROPE.
The Man who Rode on Blondin's Bach
Recalls His Emotions.

with the opening VI VIC
park. He and Blondin spent five
months in getting the rope stretched
and the guy ropes fastened.
BIondin wanted to carry the rope
from Tarrapin tower and across to
Davis Hotel, which would have led
over Horseshoe Falls, through themist
and the spray of the great cataract.
They objected because Blondin was
sure to fall, they said. The spray
would keep his rope damp, andI, who
had engaged to go on his back, was
very glad of it. Finally we stretched
the rope from Whites pleasure ground
to the Clifton House. Not far
away from the place there is now a
suspension bridge.
Before | went over he made several
public ~ascensions. 1t was advertised
through the papers that | was to ride
on his back, and ! was the subject of
all sorts of attacks and criticisms.
People said to me; "You are q fool"
and | was ready to back out, except
BlOndin began to taunt me, and | got
into that corner of pride and vainglo-
robustness which / could not escape
from. Meantime Blondinhadcoached
as to what / should do. Twas to
put my weight or his shoulders by my
arms and clasp his body about with
my legs. But / could not put my
weight on his legs; that would encum-
Der his movement, | had to keep all
the weight on his shoulders. In July,
1860, we went across. i took my
place on BlOndin's back, and he be-
gan the descent from the Canadian
side on the rope. By reason of the
fact that [ had to bear my weight on
his shoulders and had to use my
arms and with main strength to sup
port myself frequent rests were neces-
sary. told Blondin when / wanted
to rest and then l dropped down on
the rope OF one foot and waited till
my arms were relieved when / would
up again, using only my arms
to lift and hold myself in place. There
was a great crowd there. did not
see them at first. | do not remem-
Der what | thought. From my place
on Blondin's back Icould look out to
the other shore and see below me the
Stunted pines thrusting their sharp
points up from the edge ofthe foaming
water, ready to split us if we fell. |
remember, too, that | was anxious to
get over, and | recall, too, that the
great rope before us made swings from
side to side. We afterward knew that
the rope swung forty feet at the CEN
ter, and | felt the necessity of preserv-
ing my self,possession, and | did it.
There was a forty feet length between
the guy on one side and those of the
other that it was impossible to make
Below us $50 feet roared the
river, and over it we swung from side
to side, still moving on steadily,
however. Blondin never trembled.
When w had gone about ten feet
on this middle span somebody on the
American side pulled the outer guy
line. We afterward found out it was
done intentionally, and the rope was
stopped in its swing. Blondin stopped,
and his pole went from sidet to side in a
effort to enable him to secure his
balance. AT one time 1t was up and
down on the right side, at another up
and down on the left, and / recall now
with wonder that | vas only curious
TO know whether he would succeed in
control of himself or, not. |
1ldn't feel any fear. Failing of getting
ais balance he started to run across
5he horrible span, and we safely reach
"a the point where the guy rope
anne out from the American shore.
Then to steady himself Blondin put
lis loot on the guy-rope and tried to
stop, but the guy-line broke, and with
!. dash of speed he ran swiftly twenty
i've feet further to the next point,
where the guys met the main rope.
There he recovered his balance, and
whispered rather than said: Decendez,
GUS The Precipitation stood out on
lis neck and shoulders in great beads,
Ind we balanced ourselves on the
'waying rope. Presently he said al
tons,' and | raised myself to his shout
iers and we went on in safety and
Without incident toward the shore.
remember as W. approached the
hore the wonderful tableau Of
100 people who stood gazing at us.
thousands of them turned their faces
way, or half turning, cast chances
'ver their shoulders ut us. I remem-
,er their white faces, their strained POI
i1ions OF anxiety-women who stared
mite and motionless, and men who
,ept, and as we drew near the bank
crowd surged toward us and Blon-
IN stopped, fearing they would push
a,ch other over the p~recipice. Then
ne crowd was still apain. and with n
uick run we came to the shore and
prang to the ground. | remember
ne man selling me in his arms and
ting mehigh in air, saying: sThank
Iod, this thing is overl" From the
ther side there was a cheer, and then
9 were thrown into q carriage and
,rawn to the international hotel by
ne people.
It wasnot until we landed that lap
reclated what had been done. Then
occurred to me that the man who
ulled the guy-line was one of those