Blondin introduced many novelties in his performances.
Sometimes he would carry a man over on his shoulders; again he
would eat a meal while on his wire; cook and eat an omelet, using
a table and ordinary cooking utensils, all of which he kept
balanced. In France Blondin was almost the patron saint of the
rope-walkers; and at the present day the performers imitate his
feats, but never with the same grace and perfection.
In 1882 an acrobat bearing the natural name of Arsens Blondin
traversed one river after another in France on a wire stretched
at high altitudes. With the aid of a balancing-rod he walked the
rope blindfolded; with baskets on his feet; sometimes he wheeled
persons over in a wheelbarrow. He was a man of about thirty,
short, but wonderfully muscled and extremely supple.
It is said that a negro equilibrist named Malcom several times
traversed the Meuse at Sedan on a wire at about a height of 100
feet. Once while attempting this feat, with his hands and feet
shackled with iron chains, allowing little movement, the support
on one side fell, after the cable had parted, and landed on the
spectators, killing a young girl and wounding many others. Malcom
was precipitated into the river, but with wonderful presence of
mind and remarkable strength he broke his bands and swam to the
shore, none the worse for his high fall; he immediately helped in
attention to his wounded spectators.
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