Niagara Daredevils (Tightrope Edition)
Thrills and Spills Over Niagara Falls
AUTHOR: Cheryl MacDonald
FORMAT: 5.5 x 8.5 pb / 144 pages
ISBN-10: 1554392055
ISBN-13: 9781554392056
From swimmers and jumpers, to tightrope walkers and barrel riders, Niagara Falls has attracted daredevils for almost 200 years. The spectacular falls and dangerous Whirlpool Rapids have inspired men and women to commit daring stunts in search of fame and fortune. Many lived to tell the tale, while others perished in the attempt. Their stories are amazing.
Prologue
Wearing a long black dress with lacy cuffs and a large black hat, Anna stepped aboard the boat. She was rowed to Grass Island, where, hidden behind some bushes, she shed the outer garments and emerged hatless, clothed in a short skirt, blue and white blouse and light slippers.
The plump, 63-year-old widowed school teacher moved towards the river, where Fred Truesdale and William Holloran, the rivermen she had hired for the day, helped her into a sturdy oak barrel. She strapped on the harness designed to keep her from moving around, then cushions were stuffed between her body and the walls and between her head and the lid.
Once Billy Holloran had pumped extra air into the barrel, Fred Truesdale rowed it out to the middle of the river. Then he heard a weak knock. Annie called out that water was leaking into the barrel.
Determining that the leak was small, Truesdale assured her that there was no cause for worry. Then he cut her loose.
Hundreds of eyes were glued to the barrel, a "dark speck rushing with lightning wings towards the centre of the great horseshoe of water." Then the crowd gasped as the barrel plunged over the falls and disappeared in a cloud of mist.
About the Author
Cheryl MacDonald has been writing on historical topics for nearly 30 years. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines, including The Beaver and Maclean's, and she has written a number of books, mostly relating various aspects of southern Ontario history.
Cheryl holds history degrees from the University of Waterloo and McMaster University and is currently pursuing graduate studies. A grandmother of two, she lives on a large rural property close to Lake Erie and about 90 minutes west of Niagara Falls.
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