Year: 1861




The London papers contain accounts OF
an exhibition at Cremono, on Monday
evening the 18th ulumo. A female Blon-
din had been engaged to cross the Thames
on a tight rope from the garden. 1t Is
said that the actual span Of the river at
! this point is two thousand feet wide, while
.he height of the rope from the water va,
ricd from fifty TO one hundred feet I'M
mense crowds had collected to witness the
feat, and the artistic when she made her
appearance was greeted with loud bursts
ofapplause TWotbirds Of the distance
had been accomplished with apparent
ease and certainty, when the performer
stopped to rest on one OF the main sup
ports of the rope. She remained so long
! that apprehenslons Of a coqhaemptS began
to spread. Nor were they groundless, for
attempts we're made 10y attendants on
shore and in boats to tighten the remain
| ing six or seven hundred feet Of rope.
For very great part OF this formidable
way, no guy-ropes were to be seen. There
were reports Of the ropes having been cut
in the course Of the preceding night for
the sake of the weight by which the main
cord was or should have been made steady,
On the other hand, it vas alleged that
these weights or guys had never been put
Iup.


After sitting wearisome length Of time
on the narrow ledgeon the summit Of the
tinlber support, the performer essayed u
advance. She very soon found the task
too dangerous, and backed to her awk-
ward resting place. The time from hel
first arrival at this point 10 her finally
quitting it was full three quarters oC 81
hour. \ gain the female B.ondin set forth
and at this time made SO much progress
| that when size hcsitated for the second
time it had become nearly impossible iol
her to recede. This she nevertheless at,
tempted 10 do under the greatest difficult
ties. The rope swayed like a gardei
swing, Cries we're raised for line, ans
when one was brought efforts were mad,
to throw i. ovel the cord on which tn,
poor creature endeayored to maintain hei
balance.


The excitement became general anC
soon grew into alarm. For while man,
pacifed their fears with half suspicicr
that the danger was only acted, but it
reality soon became apparent. Twiligh
was deepening, and in little time sh
would he unable to see the rope. Hayinj
stood for ten minutes or longer, undecide,
whether to attempt a retreat or an ad
vance, the female BIondin sat down ol
the rope, and balanced her pole across he


knees. Renewed efforts were may t.
throw cords over the main ropes, but with
out success. At lenth an outcry was mad
that she was going to fall. At that tim
she relinquishod her pole, which cam
splashing down among the boats below
In another she was clinging by her hands
NOW to the "tight" rope. now to a coupl
of weights, and now to the cords 10y whic
a part of the rope was held in perfea
steadiness. The courage displayed by he
at this time was truly admirable. Des
cending by the grasp of three quartz
inch cord, or mere whaleline, in fact, tht
daring imitator of the Hero Of Niagara
reached in safety a boat that had bee
rowcd to her rescue. On reaching th
boat she was loudly cheered and receive
quite an ovation on her return to the gar
dens, where she lamented with tears he
not having completed a task which sh
felt perfectly competent to perform lie
hands, it is stated were severely cut b
. the line which had afforded her the mean


OF escape.