The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-01-10

Of the Winds quite sensational
enough for his peace of mind.
With proper care the trip is
perfectly safe, but there is one mo-
ment of the journey when the mist
and spray from the falls blot out from
sight his nearest companion, which
gives the man of average nerve as
keen thrill as he cares for. His YER
dict when he is through" is that he
is glad to have done it once, but will
be content not to attempt it again.
There Is certain temperament, how
ever, which the very sight of these ap-
palling waters seems to goad to a
frenzy of mad adventure. Some time
ago, for instance, man who normally
followed the unheroic occupation OF
keeping restaurant, went over the
Horseshoe falls in a. steel barrel and
was safely fished out afterward, hav-
ing suffered no damage but broken
leg. This act of foolhardiness at any
rate cannot be charged to youthful
rashness. for the man was in his sew
entieth year. nor can 1t be explained
by ignorance of what such a feat must
involve, for he had already made the
passage of the seething rapids some
distance below In similar fashion.
In some of the most remarkable
feats OF which Niagara has been the
scene the fascination of the encoun-
ter itself has been seconded by GER
tain commercial instinct. The per-
formances of Blondin. we may be sure,
were shredwly calculated with view
to future box Office receipts. In 1859
and 1860 he crossed the falls several
times on tight rope three and q
quarter inches In diameter, LOO feet
long and 160 feet above the water.
He was not satisfied with the mere
promenade, but would raise the hair
Of the spectators-sometimes there
would be as many as $4,000
watching him-by all manner OF freak
ish variations. Perhaps he would
make the journey blindfold, or he
would trundle wheelbarrow in front
of him. or he would appear burdened
with heavy shackles from head to
foot in the character of Siberian
slave, or he would carry a cooking
stove and stop to make an omelette
on the way, or he would stand on his
head when half way across. Once he
carried a man on his back and the un-
easy movements of his passenger, so
It Is reported, drew from him the
threat: IF you don't sit quiet shall
have to put you down." The late king
of England, then prince Of Wales, was
among the spectators one day when
Blondin crossed on stills, and in spite
OF the success of this feat declined
the acrobat'ss offer to take him over
Gorge Below the Falls.
Since Blondin's day there have been
several "equilibrist'' exhibitions at Nj
agara, but no imitator has quite riv-
aied the example of daring set by the
master Of thees profession. Perhaps
the nearest approach to his trfumphs
was that Of Dixon in 1890. He crossed
the river below the falls on q three
quarter inch wire cable, and In one
of his feats lay for a time with his
back on the wire. Bun, startling as
such performances may be. presum-
ably they do not surpass either In ac-
tual risk or in trial OF the nerves
some of the ordinary feats Of acrobats
In the circus or even the daily round
and common task OF steeplejacks and
other useful persons whose work re-
uuires cool head and sure step. A
quite different kind of problem Is that
Of. shooting Niagara" either at the
falls themselves or at the rapids.
Every one has seen pictures Of the
falls and can form some conception
Of what It must mean to take the
drop over the cataract The Niagara
rapids are less familiar, 80 q brief
typographical note may be helpful.
One set OF rapids occurs about the
falls. juat before the waters gather