Niagara Falls 



1902 self on the chair, but it slipped and tumbled into the river. Blon- 

 Dunlap ^j n ^ nowever) recovered his balance and regaled himself with 



champagne and cake while sitting on the rope. 



Blondin's fame was now so well established that everybody 

 was eager to see him. The townspeople of Niagara liked his 

 performances because they attracted crowds, filled the hotels and 

 helped trade. In 1860 Blondin stretched his rope across the 

 gorge below the railway suspension-bridges, right over the Whirl- 

 pool Rapids. This was in the village of Niagara City and the 

 Niagara Falls people were quite angry, for in those days there 

 was no little jealousy between the rival villages, which have since 

 been merged into cityhood. Accordingly he returned the follow- 

 ing year, and his first feat was crossing the rope backward. Next 

 he walked blindfolded. On July 4th he performed on a rope 

 suspended from his cable. On September 8th, the presence of 

 the Prince of Wales, now King Edward, inspired his greatest 

 daring and he carried Colcord across on his back and also walked 

 over on stilts. 



While the name of Blondin will ever be associated with the 

 Niagara gorge, many others have sought fame there in the per- 

 formance of feats equally brilliant. But his was the first success, 

 and it is well known that the world never gives as much appre- 

 ciation to those who follow. Even while Blondin was drawing 

 crowds in Niagara City in 1860, he was confronted by a rival 

 named Signor Farini, who stretched his rope across the gorge 

 near the outlet of the hydraulic canal. While Blondin walked 

 on a tight rope, people were amazed at Farini, who always had 

 his rope very slack. Farini gave many performances, and he 

 aimed to surpass Blondin, walking with his feet m a sack, while 

 Blondin had left his free. On August 29, 1 860, Farini carried 

 Rowland McMullen over the cable on his back, but Colcord 

 lives where McMullen is forgotten. On September 5th Farini 

 while on the cable washed ladies' handkerchiefs in water drawn 

 up from the river far below. 



418 



