BLONDIN AT. BRISBANE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1189, 12 September 1874, Page 7

BLONDIN AT. BRISBANE.

(From the Brisbane Courier, 27th July.)

The first performance of this most wonderful man, which took place on Saturday I afternoon, was as great a success in every respect as even the performer himself could have hoped for. The number who legitimately witnessed the performance was close upon 3500, but there was fully as large a number on the heights of Kangaroo Point and other coignes of vantage. It is by evidence of the eyes alone that a person can realise the extraordinary and hazardous character of the feats which Blondin goes through, with all tho ease of a dancing magter performing tbe evolutions of a set of quadrilles. It is not till you actually see him come dancing forward on the rope 80ft. above the ground, that the truth really flashes upon you that the slightest accident — oue moment's nervous hesitation, the slightest unpremeditated false step or miscalculation — and the being whom you were gazing at would be numbered with the things that were. The performance of Saturday afternoon lasted fuliy an hour and threequarters, during which time the performer went through a very large number of the feats that have made him famous. He first appeared as a Knight of the Middle Ages, clad in armour, and danced across tho rope to a lively air played by the band. In his tight-fitting costume Bloudin appears a man of really line proportions, stout and muscular, but with a litheness and aotivity apparent in every step. His appearance was, ot course, the occasion of great applause, to which he bowed his thanks to every part of the audience. A few minutes sufficed to change his costume, when he next appeared as an acrobat, and performed as wonderful gymnastic exercises on the rope as any professor of the science could do on his mother earth. The most astonishing of these was standing on his head on the rope for a space of what was really about ten seconds, but what to the spectators appeared the same number of minutes. He also lay down at full stretch, and assumed vario-is other attitudes of a most amusing kind. However extraordinary this may- have seemed, it was evident that he was only working up the leelings of his audience for still greater wonders. As a preparation for the next act (as it may be termed), he openly blindfolded himself, and to make assurance doubly sure, put a heavy back right over his head and shoulders. All these preparations were made in full view of the spectators, on a little platform at one end of the rope. The rope is raised about 3ft. above this platform, and the performer had next in his blindfolded condition to make his way on it as best he could. This was, however, successfully accomplished, and then commenced his perilous journey. How he can ace •mplish it safely, of course no one but Mr Blondia himself knows ; but it is altogether above our comprehension. At the very outset he made what appeared to be two or three false steps, but what were, in reality, only feints calculated to show his wonderful confidence in his powers The two first were plain enough, and caused no great ex* citement ; but the last one, when his foot altogether lost the rope, and he came down at full leugth, caused a sensation to run through the assemblage that they will not soon torget. In a moment, however, he was again an his legs, balancing his immense pole, and started at aluaosc a run, keeping, however, strict time to 'the music. On reaching the opposite end, and on removing his ooveriug, he received a volley of applause, which, however accustomed, must have beai none the less gratifying, j The next feat was one no less wonderful, although, perhaps, not quite so hazardous. This cousiattd in strapping on his back a small iron stove, with all its utensils and appliances, which he earned to ahout midway on the rope. After carefully placing it in position he went through the usual preparations for commencing to cook. He carefully swept his stove with the broom attachod, washed his dishes, lib his fire, and mixed his omelettes in a most business like way. | He then put them on a pau, conked them, and sent them down below to be partaken of by any visitor desirous of testing hia culinary powers. As may be supposed, i the applause of the spectators wai immense. The succeeding performance, however, was the most wonderful, as it certainly was the most dangerous of any he attempted. Taking up an ordinary chair, ho carried it to the oentre of the rope and balanced it. He then sat down on that chair and 1- aned on each Ride. Next he balanced the chair on one leg, and deliberately got up and stood upon it. Our reulern cau imagine the extreme difficulty of balancing a cnair in such a position, but tbe feat of standing on it at a height of SO feet from the ground, when almost a strong puff of wind would upset it, is a risk which none but a man who bad completely subdued his nerves could undertake. Blondin, however, appeared to go through it with the utmost nonchalance. After descending, he places the chair a few feet further forward, aud calmly climbing over the back, again stands on the seat. All this time, it must be remembered, he carries with him a long pole of American ash, weighing fully (JOlbs. The feat was rewarded with prolonged applause, as, although perhaps not the most showy, it was fully recognised by the spectators as tho most dangerous of the performance. The carrying of a man across on his shoulders is one of the things which has, perhaps, as much as anything else, j created Blondin's fame, and of course it was looked out for with eayer expectation. In due time his secretary, M. Niaud, was wind, lassed up, and took his position on the back of the performer. His living freight seemed to he no serious inconvenience, for he walked to the end of the rope and back wiih as much unconcern as if he were unencumbered, going through several funny tricks at the time. The last, and perhaps the most picturesque of his feats, was that of the bicycle. This ho wheeled over tho topo two or three times, going slowly, quickly, and last of all backwards, the people cheering most vehemently all the time.

The Ashantee war is the subject of a graiid lyrical drama, to which M, Herv« ia com* posing the music. It will shortly frs pro#