Blondin

Blondin 

Jean François Gravelet dit Blondin ( et non Charles Blondin ) né le 28 février 1824 à Hesdin
(Pas-de-Calais) et mort le 19 février 1897 Ealing, Londres, est un funambule et acrobate français.
Il fut le prèmier à traverser les Chutes du Niagara en 1859






















 

 Blondin over Niagara Falls

The amazing story of Blondin, a famous French tightrope walker, is a wonderful illustration of what true faith is.

On June 30, 1859, Blondin became the first man in history to walk on a tightrope across Niagara Falls. Over twenty-five thousand people gathered to watch him walk 1,100 feet suspended on a tiny rope 160 feet above the raging waters. He worked without a net or safety harness of any kind.

He walked across, several times... each time with a different daring feat - once in a sack, on stilts, on a bicycle, in the dark, and blindfolded.

One time he even carried a stove and cooked an omelet in the middle of the rope!

A large crowd gathered and the buzz of excitement ran along both sides of the river bank. The crowd “Oohed and Aahed!” as Blondin carefully walked across - one dangerous step after another - pushing a wheelbarrow holding a sack of potatoes.

Then a one point, he asked for the participation of a volunteer. Upon reaching the other side, the crowd's applause was louder than the roar of the falls!

Blondin suddenly stopped and addressed his audience: "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?"

The crowd enthusiastically yelled, "Yes! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. We believe!"

"Okay," said Blondin, "Who wants to get into the wheelbarrow."

As far as the Blondin story goes, no one did at the time!

One day, As Blondin made his way safely across the gorge, the tense bewilderment of the crowd turned to a deafening roar of cheers. Then, Blondin spoke.

“Do you believe I can cross the falls again?” he asked.

The crowd cheered back, “Yes!”

Blondin responded, “Do you believe I could cross the falls carrying a man on my back?”

The crowd had seen Blondin perform many dangerous tightrope stunts. They knew he could carry a man on his back, and they roared back in reply, “Yes!”

 Blondin and Harry Colcord, his manager

Then Blondin asked, “Who will volunteer?” The crowd was silent.

Blondin pointed to an onlooker nearby and asked, “Will you trust me?”

“Hardly! I can’t risk my life like that!” the man replied.

Then, Blondin turned to his manager, Harry Colcord.

“Harry, do you believe I can carry you across?” he asked.

“Yes, Charles, I know you can,” Harry replied.

“Then will you trust me to do it?” Blondin asked.

Harry replied, “I will.”

Harry Colcord stepped onto the platform with Blondin and hopped onto his back. Blondin, with his balancing pole in hand, slowly began to carry his friend across the Falls.

Though a few of the guy ropes snapped as they crossed, they both made it safely to the other side, and Charles Blondin cemented his place as the greatest tightrope walker in history.