The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-06
HOW A ROPE-wALKER FEELS.
A Chapter from tho Experiences of the Fa-
nous Blondin.

Chapter from the Experiences of the Fa-
nous Blondin.
Lippincott's Magazine.
am often asked as to my sensations when
walking the rope, but If by that g meant
whether / feel fear or nervousness / must
answer decidedly in the negative. When walk
ing look some eighteen or twenty fest ahead
of me. and whistle softly or hum a snatch or q
song as the humor may seize me. also in
vsriably keep time In my step to the music the
band is playing, and / find that helps me
wonderfully in preserving my balances With
my own weight and that Of the balancing pole
there must be about go pounds bearing on the
rope, which naturally gives considerably this
saRging being one Of the chief difficulties we
have to encounter in keeping our balance.
prefer to perform in the open air, for IN q hall
or a theater even of the largest dimensions the
vitiated air found at the elevation at which my
rope is always stretched IL most unpleasant to
breathe.
Nowadays / never practice, and even my most
difficult tricks such as turning sonaersault
over a chair placed in the middle Of the rope and
landing with my feet on the other side .of it, are
usually performed without premeditation, just
as the whim seizes me. This enables me with
cut effort TO vary my program mes at every per-
formance, and prevents them from becoming
nonotonous to me- / could remain a year or
even longer without ever setting foot rope
and then 60 on and tread IL as safely as though
had been in constant practice. As an illustra-
ton Of the slight amount OF practice l require
for q new trick l may mention my bicycle act.
Some years ago, when bicycles were somewhat
OF a novelty. il struck me that | could utilize
one In my performance. and l accordingly had
one constructed according TO my directions, with
a groove in the wheels fit the rope, bnt
otherwise of ordinary fashion. l ordered it to
be sent TO me some time before the performance
30 that could try 1t, but it came just as l was
making ready to appear. l was as pleased as q
child with a new toy, and, mounting 1t at once,
i rehearsed successfully in view of large au-
dience, who probably thought / had been prsc-
ticing for months.
never take any stimulant before walking the
rope and take no special pains to keep myself
in good condition. My attendant rubs ms down
carefully when my journey is ended, and then
take some light refreshment. Otherwis only
live plainly and regularly merely avoiding eat
ing heavy meal shortly before q performance.
Finally, may say that prefer exhibiting with
out q net stretched below me. i think il would
make me so nervous as almost to lead to the
accident against which 1t IS intended as q safe
guard.
If l mysslf do not feel nervous am afraid
the many persons / have carried on my back
across the rope have felt q trifie perturbed save
when they have been professional assistants In
reality. there is nothing in the world for them
TO be afraid Of All they have TO do is to sit
perfectly STILL refrain from clutching me too
tightly around the neck aud leave the rest to
me. When am carrying any one over for the
first time, / chat to him continuously on any
indifferent subjects / can think about, and try.
in this manner. to relieve his anxiety, and
always caution him against looking downward
when in mid-air. Somehow, though, he never
seems quite happy. and always detect gasp
OF relief when the end Of the rope and the plat
form are reached. More than once tho victim
has dsvouIly exclaimed, "Never againl'
My well-known trip over Niagara falls was
doubtless productive Of nervousness to those
gentlemen whom / carried over on my back,
and for myself II was one Of the experiences oil
my life. / was elevated some one hundred and
fifty feet above the torrent, and had TO walk q
distance OF nearly 200 feet. During the wintei
OF 1858 took journey down TO Niagara falls
with the idea OF seeing whether the passage
were practicable or not. found that 1t was and
made up my mind 10 the trip. but was obliged
20 defer IL owing 70 the masses of ice rnd snow
on either bank. Accordingly IL was not unit
June 80, 1859, after several weeks Of prepare
sion. that / made my frss trip across Niagara
falls on hempsn rope. The rope itself wa,
unliks that which use ct the present time Il