, 1896-11-23
CARRIED OVER THE FALLS.
Story of the Man Who Rode on the
Back of Rope Walker Blondin.

still a mere boy" said Mr.. Henry Col
cord, an artist, who was recently re-
lating to a party of New York friends
some OF his early adventures at c
that | became tired of sailor life, and
went to Boston to look for something
to do on shore. Shortly after my ar
rival in that city | made the %acquaint-
ance of Blondin, the tight-rope walk
er, who was a member of the Francona
troupe, which included Martinetti and
the famous Ravals. Having some nat
ural artistic talent, l became through
the influence of Blondin. their scenic
painter, and we travelled about the
country with varying success. until the
beginning of February, 1860, when the
troupe reached Cincinnati and dis
banded.
1T was then that Blondin, who had
seen and been greatly impressed with
the beauties of Niagara, conceived the
idea of crossing the great catract on a
tight rope. He asked me what |
thought of making the journey across
the falls on his back. At first | thought
he was joking. but on his assuring me
that he was in earnest, | consented to
accompany him. and together we start
ed for Niagara to complete arrange
ments for the proposed feat.
I'VE experienced no little trouble in
obtaining the necessary permits to ex-
tend the ropes. But finally we succeed
ed in getting them from a man named
to work. Blondin wanted to carry the
rope from Terrapin tower and across
to David's hotel, which would have led
us over the Horseshoe Falls through
the mist and spray of the great cata-
ract.
These arrangements were strongly
condemned because people said the
spray would keep the rope damp and
Blondin was sure to fall. So we stretch
ed the rop from Whites pleasure
ground across to the Clifton house.
u iopS' was -,VVo lVNl IolS. II was VI
MANILA three inches in diameter, made
in a New York ropewalk in two pieces.
Blondin joined them with a long splice.
which when the ROPE was extended was
in the center Of the span. 1t took us
nearly five months to stretch the rope
and get the guy lines in place.
The rope was $50 feet above water
at its lowest point, which was so
feet below the highest-in other words
there was a grade OF so feet in Zach l.
900 feet. There were $1,000 feet of guy
lines attached to the rope. Each Ii
was weighted with a 1O-pound sand
bag to drop them out of the way of
Blondin's balance pole, and in putting
them up the rope-walker crossed the
span a score of times.
AT last we were ready to make the
perilous journey, and it having been
advertised through the newspapers
that l was to ride or Blondin's back l
became the subject of all kinds of adj
verse criticisms. Indeed, | was ready
to back out of my agreement. when
Blondin began to taunt me to such an
extent that | finally decided that moth
ing could deter me from making the
journey.
Meantime Blondin had coached me
as to what l should do. l was to put
my weight on his shoulders only with
my arms and clasp his body about with
my legs. But | could not put my weight
on his legs. as that would cucumber
his movements. l had to keep all my
weight on his shoulders.
'In July. 1860, everything being
ready, I took my place on Blondin's
back, and we started to cross the rope.
We began the descent from the Cana
dian side of the rope and by cas- of
the fact that | had to bear my weight
on Blondin's shoulders and could only
use my arms to support myself fire.
Quent rest were necessary. l told
Blondin when l wanted to rest and
then dropped down on the rope on one
loot and waited till my arms were re-
lieved, when l would spring up again,
using my arms to lift and hold myself
in place. There was a great crowd
present, but | did not see it at first
From my place on Blondin's back l
could look out to the American side
and see below the stunted pines thrust
ing their sharp points up from the edge
OF the ifoaming. roaring waters ready
to split us in two If we fell. l remem
Der that I was anxious to get owe and
I recall, too, that the great rope before
us swung alarmingly from side to side.
We afterwards ascertained that the
rope had been swinging 40 feet at the
center. The swing was caused by there
being a length Of 40 feet between the
guys on one side and those on the 9TH
er. 1t was the middle span. Below us
$50 feet reared the river, and over it
we swung from side to side. Still NOV
ing on steadily Blondin never trem-
bled. When he had gone about ten
feet in the middle span some n on
the American side pulled the outer guy
line. We afterwards found out that it
was done intentionally, and the rope
was stopped in its swing.
"Blondin stopped. and his pole went
from side to side in a vain effort to en-
able him to secure his balance. At one
time his pole was up and down on the