SLEEP WALKING.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 March 1918, Page 6

SLEEP WALKING.

CURIOUS CHRISTCHURCH CASE. An unusual case of sleep-walking occurred in Christchujrch in the very early hours one morning last week (says the Lyttelton Times) the chief actors being the somnambulst, a young lady of about 27, a constable, and a taxi-driver. The constable was patrolling Colombo street, about 2 a.m. when he noticed a woman walking alone through jCathedral squarfe. He was struck by the fact that she was alone, and was puzzled to know whether she had been attending a dance. So as not to frighten her, as she continued to walk in his direction, he stepped out into the road, and then he noticed that she" was wearing no hat, and had nothing on but a long chemise and shoes, but no stockings, He came to the conclusion at once that the woman was a somnambulist, and, realising that it was dangerous to suddenly waken anyone in such a condition, he decided to keep her under close watch. He therefore walked closely alongside her. They went up Colombo street northwards, when a young man walked home late from a night job, sighted the young lady, and to use his own words, was on the point of taking to his heels when he also saw the constable. He called out in alarm: "Who is that lady, constable?" "It's all right," said the constable, "sho is walking in her sleep, and if would be dangerous to waken her. The young lady walked on over the Colombo street bridge, with the constable close behind, Possibly there is something in the theory that a sleepwalker cannot cross running water, for on reaching the other side the young lady paused and swayed and the constable was just up in time to catch her as she collapsed. He,put his greatcoat around her and in a few seconds she seemed to waken up, as if out of a sleep, and soon regained absolute normality. Immediately on coming to consciousness the young lady exclaimed "I have lost the key of the house.' This was not so, however, for the constable had found it in her hand and had taken it from her after, he caught her. He reassured her about the key, and she was greatly relieved, for it appeared, that in her sleep she had made her way out of the house, unlocking the front door and locking it again quietly behind her. The constable summoned a taxi, and drove the young lady home where she was able to let herself in quietly, with the key. The distance she had walked was possibly a mile, and the strange thing is that she encountered nobody but the constable. The young lady was not subject to sleep-walking, although she was supposed to have walked once in her sleep when a child. Inquiries on fae following day showed that she had suffered no ill effects from her nocturnal walk.