Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-07-30
Dreams,

Dreams can be procured by whispering in
the ears when person is asleep. One of
the most curious as we'll as authentic ex-
ampes of this kind has been referred to by
several writer's. ] find the particulars in a
paper by DR.. Gregory, and they were related
to him by gentleman who witnessed them
The subject of it was an officer in the ex-
petition to Louisburgh, 1885, who had this
peculiarly in so remarkable degree, that
his companions in the transport were in the
habit of amusing themselves at his expense.
They could produce in him any kind of a
dream by whispering into his ear, especially
ifthis was done by a friend, with whose voice
he was familiar.
At one time they conducted him through
the whole progress Of 1quarrel, which ended
in duel; and when the parties were sup
posed to be met, pistol was put into his
hand. which he fred and awakened by the
report. On another occasion they found him
asleep on the top of locker, or bunker, in
the cabin, when they made him believe he
had fallen overheard. and eXhorted him to
save himself by swimming. They told him
that shark was pursuing him, and entreat-
ed him to dive for his life He instantly did
so, with such force as 10 throw himself en-
tirely from the locker, upon the cabin floor,
Ebywhch he was much bruised, and awaken
tlsof course.
After the landing of the army at Louis
burgh, his friends found him asleep in his
tent much annoyed by the cannonading.
They then made him believe that he was
engaged, when he expressed great fear; and
showed an evident disposition to run away
Against this they demonstrated, but at the
same time increased his fears by initiating
the eroans of the wounded and dying; and
when he asked, as he often did, who were
down, they named his particular friends. AT
last they told him that the man next himself
in the line had fallen, when instantly he
sprung from his bed rushed out of his tent,
and was aroused from his danger and his
dream together by falling over the tent
ropes. A remarkable circumstance in this
case was, that after these experiments, he
had no distinct recollections or fatigue; and
used to tell his friend that he was sure he
was playing some trick upon him. A case
entirely similar in its bearing is related in
Smellie's Natural History, the subject of
which was medical student in the Univer-
sity of Edinburgh.
A singular fact has been observed in
dreams which are excited by noise, namely,
that the same sound awakens the person,
and produces the dream which appears to
him to occupy considerable time. The
following example of this has been repeated
to me. A gentleman dreamed that he had
enlisted as soldier. joined his regiment, de-
serted, was apprehended, carried back, tried.
condemned 10 be shot, and at last carried
out for execution. After the usual pre-
parations, a gun was fired: he awoke with
the report, and found that noise in the add
joining room had produced both the dream
and awakened him. The same want of
notion of time is observed in dreams from
other causes.
DR.. Gregory mentions a gentleman who,
after sleeping in damp place, was for a
long time liable to feeling of sufocation
whenever he slept in lying posture, and
this was always accompanied by dream Of
skeleton, which grasped him violently by
the throat. He could sleep in a sitting pos
ture without any uneasy feeling; and after
trying various experiments, he at last had a
sentinel placed beside him, with orders to
wake him whenever he sunk down. On one
occasion he was attacked by the skeleton,
and a long struggle ensued before he awoke.
On finding fault with his attendant for allow
ing him to lie so long in such state of suf-
fering, he was assured that he had not lain
an instant, but had been awakened the r,o-
ment he began to sink The gentleman
after considerable time, recovered from the