On August 19th, 1886 Mr. Graham attempted another trip through the rapids. This time he was planning on leaving his head outside the barrel. Graham survived this second attempt but sustained hearing loss.

The day before Graham’s second trip another stunter James Scott of Lewiston, New York attempted to swim the rapids and lost his life.

Carlisle Graham would make several more trips through the Great Gorge Rapids. His third trip was on June 15th, 1887 while his fourth trip in a newly designed seven foot barrel was on August 25th, 1889.

On July 14th, 1901 Graham made his fifth trip. This time he would not be so lucky. His barrel became caught in a whirlpool eddie and he came very close to suffocating. By this time Carlisle Graham had gained much notoriety and he had become quite a showman. He talked about making the trip over the falls, but never actually followed through.

On September 7th, 1901 Graham had masterminded a double performance with a friend, Maud Willard of Canton, Ohio. She would ride the barrel through the Whirlpool Rapids and into the Whirlpool itself. Graham was then to intercept the barrel at the Devil’s Hole Rapids and swim alongside the barrel to Lewiston.

Maud Willard performed her stunt, but unfortunately was caught in the Whirlpool Rapids. Graham went on to perform his part of the stunt by swimming all the way to Lewiston without Willard.

Upon returning to the Whirlpool later in the evening Graham found that his barrel with Maud Willard inside was still trapped in the Whirlpool Rapids. Maude had been inside for over five hours!. When the barrel was finally caught and pulled into shore it was discovered that Miss Willard had suffocated. Her pet fox terrier, who had accompanied her on the trip was unharmed.