MOONSTRUCK

Mataura Ensign, Volume V, Issue 224, 26 January 1883, Page 6

MOONSTRUCK.

" The sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night." This beautiful verse expresses the belief, common in ancient days, that the moon exercises a baneful influence upon those exposed to her direct rays. In modern times the pernicious influence of the moon has been doubted and even denied. But whatever the influence of the moon in the temperate zones, within the tropics it is very injurious to sleep exposed to its rays, especially at the full. On a voyage to the antipodes, when near the line, a Maltese sailor, who was a most comical fellow, slept for some hours on the boom with his face towards the full moon. On waking in the morning the muscles on the right side of his face were contracted, so that every attempt to speak was attended with the most ludicrous contortions. Feeling sure that something was seriously wrong, he spoke to another sailor, who, supposing that as usual he was at his old tricks, burst out into laughter. Off he went to another, with exactly tbe same result. The poor fellow now got into a rage, thereby adding not a little to the ludicrousness of the scene. After a while the truth dawned upon the Captain and officers of the vessel. The doctor gave him some medicine, the muscles gradually and in the course of a week our Maltese friend was well again. Some five or six years ago; when sailing from Tahiti to Mangaia, a little boy of mine in perfect health, was thoughtlessly placed by his nurse in, his berth, the slanting beams of the moon falling on his face. Next morning he waß feverish and ill, and it was two or three days before he was himself again. On the island of Aitutaki a native woman was watching night after night for the return of her husband from the island of Atiu. While doing so one night she fell asleep, the moon's rays falling upon her face. On awakening she felt ill, and her eyes were drawn on one side. Considerable interest was felt by the Islanders in her case. Eventually, however, her eyes were restored. These facts illustrate the injury done to human beings by the moon in the tropics. Yet I never heard of insanity or death resulting from this cause. It s well known, however, in tropical countries that the moon's rays occasion the rapid decomposition of flesh and fish. A number of bonitas having been caught one evening near -the4ia© by & friend of mine, the, spoil was hung-up" in the- rigging- of the ship, and was thus exposed to the" moon through the night. Next morning it was cooked for breakfast. Symptoms of poisoning were soon exhibited by all who partook of it— their heads swelling to a great size, &c. Emetics were properly administered, and happily no one died. The natives of the South Pacific are careful never to expose fish (a constant article of diet in many islands) to the moon's rays by any chance. They often sleep by the sea-shore after fishing, but never with the face uncovered. The aboriginals of Australia do the same as well as they can with their fishing nets, etc. A fire answers the same purpose. May not the injurious influencs of the moon (in addition to her beauty and utility) account for the almost universal worship of that orb throughout the heathen world. — Simday at Home.