known australian australian successful accident prone modelling famous french wire walker performed number walks 1870s culminating walks sydney remains performer walked sydney harbour early attempted series flights early 1880s successful ending australia emergency parachute descent culminating massive causing property damage personal injury human tried return original career walking new forms entertainment falls found success elusive public benefits held honour financial losses setting amusement rides ultimately faded public attention recorded living victoria early performances born suburb melbourne little known early years family private life came public attention member melbourne performance group dancing comedic vocal combination miss troupe performed melbourne tasmania performing performed solo time melbourne quickly gained reputation fearless performer walking grown popularity australia 1860s following reports reaching exploits great french walker crossed australian wire modelling copying techniques calling australian popularity original visited australia performing act brisbane sydney melbourne performing regularly sydney began moniker australian early arriving sydney melbourne erected large canvas enclosure domain began regular series performances copying location stunts real performed august opening night january attracted reported crowd thousand people newspaper reports commented performance like original people thinking seen world renowned rope walker rope suspended feet metres ground walked backwards forwards walked armour walked covered sack sat chair cooked rode bicycle rope included fireworks display public entertainment performed domain january april incident february neared end wire act sparks fireworks going fell nearby store gunpowder fireworks store shed demolished surrounding fence knocked performance tent caught fire young boys injured sydney harbour crossing late march advertisements began appear sydney newspapers proposed harbour crossing public performance set saturday march having organised convey spectators special landing stage close performance area advised wishing performance travel ones permission land passengers course stop captains carrying spectators whilst event profitable considered majority viewers non paying dead heads prior public performance undertook crossing select audience including members press crossing success reviewed papers doubt adding crowd anticipation saturday sadly bad weather postponed performance ahead april clock saturday april began leaving conveying estimated strong crowd large crowd considering alternative attractions day known simply exhibition horse racing remainder reported walking toll collected way spectators sides bay points hundreds stayed board row boats rope entrance head bay reported length feet feet waters distance meant ropes required centre reach stays fixed shore harbour steady structure ready precisely clock come tent eastern shore dressed dark red cap delay stepped narrow rope heavy balancing pole set journey stated rope stretched harbour great altitude width apparently yards western end higher eastern weight rope causes dip centre western end considerable starting amidst cheers spectators walked rate eighty steps minute rope reached near centre feet length passed deliberately stood right foot left resting right leg feat safely accomplished dropped knee sat waived sic crowd spectator lay rope resuming sitting posture took small moment surveyed warmly applauded performances raising balancing pole lifted foot rope continued walk took steps backward proceeded inclined rope steadily western shore slower speed steps minute rope considerably went remaining distance safely traversed steps walked quickly performer stepped amidst enthusiastic cheers spectators inspiring strains bands music successful crossing greeted enthusiastic cheers tunes cooper bailey international band come entertain crowds soon reappeared small row boat greet crowds rushed leave resulting harbour proclaimed truly wonderful feat performed greatest ability sydney press enthusiastic questioned worth performance profits commenting mystery minds large people gather witness spectacle little merit charm taste delight fancy despite criticism performed crowds requiring transport night guest honour dinner held victoria theatre played march piece composed specially conductor presented large gold star engraved scene latest triumph date public performance measuring inches centred diamond suspended blue ribbon featuring australian coat arms silver illuminated address bag collected given took road going brisbane reportedly singapore april reappeared australian scene new performance gas balloon ascent australia melbourne sydney following years later december idea people lifted ground fly return safely fired imagination public novelty balloon continued draw large crowds 1860s 1870s doubt real chance disaster injury added crowd keen interest uncommon came sydney balloon november accompanied reports successful flights india confident new venture wrote balloon fitted newest applications parachute event going wrong prevent rapid descent aerial voyager novelty fixing bags sand round covers balloon principle weight balloon ascend process chiefly intended easy method avoiding buildings perfectly confident prove successful travelling regions clouds prove variety failures letter sought permission use exhibition grounds sydney central station attempt struggled fill balloon afternoon november gas supplied crowd getting restless decided attempt despite balloon fully inflated load removed car sit instead sat loop rope balloon managed drag park clearing landing railway truck yards sydney central railway station park blamed failure having supplied dense gas filling pipe narrow wrote council time asking permission use park second attempt like attempt second ended failure balloon took day fill lift going ahead afternoon december attempt dragged approximately yards crowd returning start point tried shooting air approximately feet sailing away south descending dragged park crowd feared balloon crash lifted roof realising balloon going lift higher threw anchor caught building threw balloon drying yard caught washing lines wires practically destroyed place sydney hearts established attended benefit held theatre royal december survived disastrous attempt melbourne months later grounds balloon named aurora having supplied higher quality gas speed balloon ascend having floated higher originally anticipated balloon greatly expanded weak fabric suddenly burst presence mind deploy silk parachute slowed rate descent landing tree severely shaken journey took minutes widely reported story appearing local newspapers adelaide canberra sydney brisbane week emergency descent parachute australia years despite setbacks persisted returning sydney august prepare attempt success finally came flight september cook park northwards garden palace sydney harbour final balloon flight achievement set second flight day march reputation known sydney successful flight record crowd turned result high atmospheric pressure heavy weighing balloon inflation took longer anticipated crowd grew restless officer representing company supplying gas refused provide new supply presented described choice abandon attempt seriously mob proceed car accepting attendant risks aerial voyage chose lift commenced sitting loop rope like attempt years previously balloon lifted heads crowd moment heading described rest voyage letter friend got westerly current took sea determined come mother earth delay picture horror found escape valve act tried strength hand spare hold loop rope purpose inch sheer desperation took valve rope hands opened bang effort lost seat loop falling feet mid air valve rope gas rushing balloon burst managing right faint escaping gas ropes prevent fall realising attempt danger balloon set hooks catch bring balloon ropes hooks short balloon descended rapidly house near corner street managed fell chimney shed feet waiting mob away robinson hotel william street corner let leave crash site attempt free balloon escaping gas ignited resident house opened window gas came contact open flame room resulting destroyed balloon burnt number bright cast brief vivid illumination entire suburb panicked crush developed groups tried flee rush brief extremely bright away launch site assumed killed people injured crush burned fire lady reportedly blinded benefit held honour try financial losses end career return walking change direction march applied establish juvenile pleasure gardens reservoir fun park variety rides maze merry round proposed park free entry sale site given permission park appear opened following disastrous balloon attempt failed pleasure grounds decided return knew best walking april given billing hero performed garden palace high rope juvenile actors proof continuing popularity rope act decided return greatest triumph spectacular crossing harbour repeated december advised public cross harbour time riding bicycle close site original success previous crossings took crowds time needed people way site ride scheduled december delays meant appear length rope metres metres water stay wires held boats crews rowing steady rode bicycle centre rope swinging stopped briefly steady instead realising losing balance forced leap rope fell water knock reputation repeat attempt announced following weekend took crowd found rope mysteriously cut cancelled performance daily_telegraph reported crowd paid tickets felt late career reputation balloon crash attempted second harbour crossing slowly slipped public eye december reported performing exhibition act attracted favourable publicity efforts received enthusiasm certainly deserved april benefit held lodge like held balloon advertised benefit patronage mayor sydney world champion attendance prompted met severe accident nature accident unknown speculated fall explaining end performances apparent decline popularity reflection public changing taste entertainment comment act time returned sydney attempt second harbour crossing city performing increasingly dangerous probably illegal feats performing sydney variations title young alexander collins great australian original collins great australian female australian australian applied permission establish amusement ride called rocker rocker consisted boat propelled horsepower gave impression sea permission granted like juvenile pleasure grounds evidence erected slipped view sydney years ago acquired celebrity australian appeared court victoria having knocked run horse driven commercial traveller driver fined injuries recorded
Henri L'Estrange