Flying the Flume.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 61, 16 March 1904, Page 3

Flying the Flume.

The performance of this remarkable ami sensational fele at the Crystal Palace is thus described by a re',.oner of St. .lames' lludgel : A bell rang through the quid hall. A young woman stepped fearlessly before the vast, audience, and Willi her bicycle ascended to the lop of an "interrupted" track about 71) feel, from the ground. She looked smilingly down upon (he sea of. uplurnitl faces, ami surveyed the steep declivity— the :,ii feet, break—tin' upward si retell over which she was lo ride. || seemed a foolhardy act, bill. Millie. Dull-ion I'mvil Hie In.-k before her without the t femur of n muscle. As she look her place ill Ihe Marling point ;, I feme,,dons cheer of eucoiirageiiieiil was eiveii. Again ihe hell. ".\,e win ready '.'" " HIT !" As the filler left the post there was a dead silence. Faster, faster, faster, she was moving at a fearful pace. Her face appeared i deeply red, and her hands clutched Hie handle bars with grim tenaeily. A few seconds-rather half secondsanil she swepl tip Ihe curve like Ihe Hash of a mimile gun. S-swisli ! T-owil ! The machine Hew oIT Hie track into mid-air. People held their brenlh ; one could have heard Ihe striking of a mulch in the immense building. Every eye was incited half in terror half in wonder, on the woman anil the bicycle cutting through mid-air. pedalling, balancing, steering for dear life, and will, « line courage. S-swisli ! T-towil. ■ Willi a lowhiss, the machine touched the track oil feel a win-, and Ihe rider rode to her goal. A„ indescribable, stupendous sigh of relief broke from the enormous crowd, followed b\ tremendous cheering. The t.'ryslal Palace resounded again anil again with the thunder of applause. The most sensational act of the age. "Plying the l-'luiue." had been accomplished for the lirst time in Europe