The Great Farini

Shane Peacock
Biographer, Novelist, Playwright, Journalist, Screenwriter
Author of The Great Farini - The High-Wire Life of William Hunt

The Lives of Farini-Hunt - Sky Walking (Part Five)

After a period of time, rested, Farini returned to the wire and back to the United States. Blondin, who had also performed that day was not happy with the competition. Here’s a short passage from Peacock’s book, “From the whirlpool at Devil’s Hole he had seen signs of activity near Farini ’s rope in the distance, so he had loaded up his stove (the one he would take out on his rope that afternoon in order to fry on omelette at mid-wire) and performed the humiliating chore of displaying himself and his apparatus, like a sandwich-board advertisement, to the masses. Blondin turned in front of the Clifton so that both he and his stove were visible to everyone and headed back downstream. Stealing a glance behind, he noticed that no one had followed him. Some day, he thought, Farini will pay for this.” Before completing his return, however, Farini had one more card “trick” up his sleeve! Farini dropped a cord down to the water below, fastened it onto his wire. The “Maid of the Mist” steamer then edged over the cord. A thicker rope was sent back up to Farini and attached. Farini then descended and ultimately arrived safely onto the steamers deck. Here he drank a glass of wine with a friend and then ascended the rope back to the wire.

NOTE: Mr. Peacock has written several books. His latest series is about "The Boy Sherlock Holmes" This is a wonderful look at the legendary Sherlock Holmes, in the beginning! To learn more about Shane and all of his works, please visit his website at www.shanepeacock.ca.

(To Be Continued)