The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-04-27

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Curious Cases of Steep Walking.
On the above curious subject a retir-
ed naval officer obllgingly sends us the
following notes:
One bright moonlight night was on
deck, as was frequently my won't, chat.
ting with the lieutenant of the middle
watch: 1t was nearly calm, the ship
making little way through the water
and the moons light nearly as bright as
the day. We were together leaning over
the capstan, chatting away, when
W suddenly exclaimed: "Look!
IL, at that sentry" and pointing to
the quarterback marine who was pac.
ing slowly backwards ard forwards on
the lee-side of the deck.
"Well, =" Ireplied, after watching him
somewhat inattentlvly as he passed once
or twice on his regular beat, "what of
him?"
"Why don'tyou see he is fast asleep?
Take a good look at him when he next
passes"
did so and found W-was right.
The man, although pacing and turning
regularly at the usual distance, was fast
asleep with his eyes closed.
When next the man passed, W
stepped quickly and noselessly to his
side, and pacing with him, gently dis
engaged the bunch of keys which were
his special charge-being the keys of the
spirit room, shell-rooms, store.rooms,
&c.-frOm the fingers of his left hand to
which they were suspended by small
chain; he then removed the bayonet
from the other hand. and laid it and
the keys on the capstan head, After let
ting him take another turn or two
W suddenly called "Sentryl"
"Sir!" replied the man, instantly stop.
ping and facing round as he came to
the attention"
"Why, you were fast asleep, sentry"
"No, sir"
"But l say you we're"
"No, sir. l assure you l was not"
"YOu were not, eh7 Well where are
the keys?"
The man instantly brought up his hand
to show them, as he supposed; but to
his confusion the hand was empty.
The poor fellow brought forward his
other hand, but that was empty also But
the puzzled look of astoniShment he
put on was more than we could stand:
both burst out laughing; and when the
keys and bayonet were pointed out to
him lying on the capstan, the poor fell
low was perfectly dumfonded. W
was too merry over the affair, however,
to punish the man, and he escaped with
warning not to fall asleep again.
Sentries and loOk-outs must be very
liable to fall asleep from the very
nature Of their monotonous pacing, and
this may in some degree accout for the
facility with which sentries have at
tines been surprised and secured before
they could give an alarm. In this in
stance, the most curious fact, l think
was the regularity with which the man
continued to pace his distances and
furn n tha riubt houn
other instances of sentries and others
walking in their sleep, though the end
has not always been so pleasant to the
victims. In one case, the quarter deck
sentry in the middle of the night,
crashed down the wardroom hatchway
with musket and fixed bayonet, with O
rattling that started us all out of ouI
cabins. The fellow fell on his hack
upon the top of the mess table, but moi
much the worse, for his exploit. On
another occasion a messenger boy paid
us visit in the night; he fell upon Q
chair, which he smashed TO pieces, bu
the sleeper escaped unhurt.
These can hardly be considered true
cases of somnambulism, but show how
men may continue their occupation.
when overcome by sleep. Nothing bu
seeing his bayOnet and keys lying on tht
capstan could have ever convinced th(
marine that he had been sleeping; nc
mere assertion to that effect would eve
have influenced him.