San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-01-04
MOOnstruck.

"The sun shall not smite thee by day
nor the moou by night" This beauti.
full verse expresses the belief, common
in ancient days, that the moon exercises
baleful influence upon those exposed
to her direct rays. In modern times
the RIGHTEOUSNESS 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 ex.
posed to its rays, especially wheh at the
full. On voyage to the antipodes,
when near the line, q Maltese sailor,
who was most comical fellow, slept
for some hours on the boom with his
face toward 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 at
tended with the most ludicrous contor-
tons. Feeling sure that something
was seriously wrong, he spoke to q sail
or, who supposing that as usual he was
at his old tricks, burst out into laugh
ter. OFF he went to another, with ex-
actly the same result. The poor fellow
now got into rage, thereby adding
not little to the righteousness of the
scene. After awhile the truth dawned
upon the captain and officers of the YES
sci. The doctor gave him some medi.
cine, the muscles gradually relaxed, and
in the course of week our Maltese
friend was well again. Some five or six
years ago, when going from Tahiti to
Mangia, 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 was feverish and ill, and it
was two or three days before he was
himself again. On the island of Alto
TAXI native woman was watching night
after night for the return of her husband
from the island of Atlu. While doing
so one night she fell asleep, the moons
rays pouring upon her face. Upon
awakening she felt ill, and her eyes were
drawn on one side. Considerable in
terest 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 / never
heard of insanity or death resulting
from this cause. 1t is we'll known, how
ever, in tropical countries, that the
moons rays occasion the rapid decom-
position of flesh and fish. A number
of bonitas having been caught one eve
ming near the line 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 morn
ing it was cooked for breakfast. Symp.
toms of poisoning were soon exhibited
by all who partook of it-their heads
swelling to great size, etc. Emetics
were promptly administered, and hap
PLY no one died. The natives of the
South Pacific are careful never to ex-
pose fish "a constant article of diet in
many islands) to the moons rays by
any chance. They often sleep by the
seashore fishing, but never with the
face uncovered. Aboriginals of Aus
tralia do the same as we'll as they can
with their fishing nets, etc. A fire an
swers the same purpose. May not the
injurious influence of the moon, in ad-
dition to her beauty and utility, account
for the almost universal worship OF that
orb throughout the heather world?-
Sunday at Home.