The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-18 00:00:00

Walla End.

Acorn Close l7 6
Eden l7 6
South Helton 18 0
Hough Hall 17 9
Stewart's . l9 0
Framwellgate 16 6
Ships at mark(

PERILOUS WALK OF A SOMNAMBULIST.—The
Detroit Free BTU describes a fearful scone which was wit-
nessed in that city at half .past two o'clock on the morning
of the 25th ult. A servant girl in a family, 18 years old
was discovered is her long night dress walking noiselessly
along the narrow ridge of the steep roof of the house. Tho
spectral form paced slowly to and fro on the narrow ridge-
board which covered the apex of the roof, approaching
in fearful proximity of the abrupt termination at the ends,
and calmly turning about to retrace the distance. The
house was a high one, and a misstep, or a step too far,
would have plunged the night walker down to certain
destruction. The walker occasionally raised her hand
to her head, as though engaged in thought or
troubled with pain. Tho head always maintained
the same position. A chimney stood directly in the
middle of the roof around which she passed with ease,
placing one hand upon its top, and walking down the slop-
ing roof to get around. Once in this spectral walk she
paused at the edge of the roof, and looked straight ahead.
A waving movement of the right hand accompanied the act,
when the walk was again renewed. The same spot was
reached again, a few moments after, when the figure again
paused, and again gazed out into the darkness, and then,
with a slow motion, stretched out a hand, and with out-
spread fingers clutched at something which had no existence
except in the fevered mind of the sleeper. The other hand
was then extended in like manner, and the body bent for-
ward in such a way that the upper portion hung over the
abyss, while the fingers reached out until there was no fur-
ther reaching, and then clutched again with a quick con-
vulsive snatch, and were withdrawn. Tho form was mo-
tionless a moment, and then commenced its walk again,
continuing as far as the middle of the roof, when it turned
towards tho rear of the house, and moving down the slope
of the roof, descended through a skylight to tehr room.
Her master, having aroused his wife, went 7 1 •to the
girl's room, and found her sitting ou I
the. side of the lied,
wide awake, and in a state of mind horde' ing en distraction.
She had no knowledge of the occurrence, but had been
awakened by the noise of her employer entering the room,
and found herself standing in the middle of her room, in
the condition described- The girl had been suffering from
a brain foyer, from which she was gradually recovering.
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.—Just at this time Sir
John Franklin was heard to say that he considered the
post to be his birthright as the senior Arctic explorer in
England. 11e had recently returned from his post as Go-
vernor of Van Diemen's land : his sensitive and generous
spirit chafed under the unmerited treatment ho had expe-
rienced from the then Secretary of State for the Colonies,
and sick of civil employment, he naturally turned again to
his profession, as a better field for the ability and devotion
he had wasted on a thankless office. Sanguine of success, for-
getful of past suffering, he claimed his right to command the
latest, as belied led the earliest, of modern Arctic expel it ions.
Directly it was known he would go if asked, the Admiralty
were of course only too glad to avail themselves of the expe-
rience of Franklin ; but Lord Iladding,ton, then First Lord,
with that kindness which over distinguished him, suggested
that Franklin might well rest at home on his laurels. " I
might find a good excuse for not letting you go, Sir John,"
said the peer, in the tell-tale record which informs me that
you aro sixty years of swe." "No no, my lord," was
Franklin's rejoinder; ccam only fifty-nine 1" Before
such earnestness all scruples yielded—the offer was officiallly
, made and accepted—to Sir John Franklin was confided the
Arctic Expedition, consisting of H.M.S. Emebus, in which
ho hoisted his pendant, and 11.M.5. Terror, commanded by
Captain Crozier, who had recently accompanied Sir James
Ross in his wonderful voyage to the Antarctic seas.—Owe
a Week.