DARING PERFORMANCES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8941, 5 October 1907, Page 4

DARING PERFORMANCES.

Acrobats/ says a writer in the Boyal Magazine, are abstemious, and I know several in the profession who never touch strong drink. An immoderate use of alcoholic liquors quite unfits the acrobat for his work in the ring or on the stage. His eye must be clear and steady, his nerves sound, and his muscles hard, or he will soon deteriorate, and his performance will suffer. A few years ago almost every artist in a circus company was expected to take part in the “Great Vaulting Act.” Vaulting in a gymnasium means leaping over the vaulting horses, with the use of the hands. In a circus vaulting consists in running along a plank, jumping on a spring-board, and making one or two somersaults over the backs of several horses, finally alighting on the ground. When the act was first introduced, some of the bolder performers used to vault over a squad of men dressed as soldiers, holding guns’ and fixed bayonets. This was a showy vault, but it was not more dangerous than the double somersault over a number of horses.

A groom in an American circus with which I was travelling one summer, made, a bet with a friend that he would vault over ten horses at a rehearsal of the vaulting act. The artists tried to dissuade him from the attempt, but the man dodged them on the spring-board, ran along, turned a feeble somersault, and alighted among the horses. His fall was fortunately broken by the backs of the horses, but he was considerably shaken, and he caused a stampede of horses to the stables.

I shall not forget the rating that this amateur acrobat received from the proprietor of the show. “It isn’t your stupid head Ihare about,” roared the boss, “but* my horses backs!”

Tbe serial somersaults of trapeze artistes are very graceful and daring. Some of these performers can swing from the flying trapeze, revolve in the air, and catch the bar of a second trapeze. Niblo, one of the most famous trapezists, was the first to perform the double revolution between the trapeze bars. His feat was, however, excelled by a woman acrobat, the well-known Lulu, who was able to turn three somersaults in mid-air.

Another perilous trick on the trapeze, which I have seen performed by several of my friends, is the “leg catch.” In this feat one artiste hangs by the arms from tho bar, and the other, after a powerful swing, flies through the air, catches his partner by tho legs, when both swing together. The performance usually ends with a single or double somersault into the net.