The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-11-02
WITHOUT SLEEP.
How It Feels to Remain Awake
for Six Days
A Contestant in sleep-Fasting Mat
Describes Some of the Strange
Sensations He Ex-
perienced.

seven DAYS in San Francisco as an at
traction for a dime museum, has writ
ten the story of how it feels to be actu-
ally sleepy. Woodford succeeded in
keeping awake over six days, says the
San Francisco Chronicle, when the ply
stefan in charge compelled the manage
ment to stop the cruel exhibition.
Woodford, who is a bright, well-edu-
Gated fellow, says:
81 entered the sleep-fasting match
with the intention of staying till the
end. l never undertook anything in
nv life unless had first determined to
see it through. The only time had
ever remained up for any length of time
was on one occasion when my ship en-
countered a typhoon in the China sea.
was awake for four nights and days.
thought of that when | went in and |
felt that | could remain awake longer
under the favorable conditions that
were guaranteed but, | must say, not
fulfilled
''The first night of the contest seemed
rather long, and l had been without
sleep for thirty-si hours preceding and
felt rather drowsy when the affair be-
gan. Friday night did pass more rap
idly, but as it grew near morning felt
rather sleepy. 1 grew to be afraid of
myself and was hoping that would not
be the firs5 to be rung out.
81 kept my eyes open by telling my
self that [ couldn't be the first to quit
in the face of all those other contest
ants. In other words, felt Just like a
man who was way out in the country
and had to walk home with the rest or
be left behind.
''One by one the contestants were
rung out, but the time seemed a month
The hours grew longer and longer. Sat
urday afternoon l had an idea that my
reason was going to leave me and that
l was going to be maniac. For an
hour didn't know where l was. | was
walking about the hall, but didn't know
it. Once 1 nearly fell, but one of the
contestants caught me and held me up.
This was the worst sensation 1 expert
enced during all the seven days and
six nights that l remained awake. It
was simply awful, and l would not go
through it again for thousands of dol
lars. The large crowd Sunday aroused
me somewhat and assisted in making
the afternoon and evening pass more
pleasantly than usual.
Monday morning at three or four
o'clock, my ghost hours, | had rather
peculiar experience. | had waking
dream which lasted several hours. The
audience seemed to be enacting a scene
in my early life, and although 1 knew
was seeing double, could not get rid |
- - 7
everything as it was occurring in reality |
in the hall, but at the same time saw
before me the other scene. Men seemed
to gong through the sports that / used
to enjoy at school and l saw the faces
of many of my old schoolmates.
''About this time I began to notice
that the old man who claimed on enter
ing to have remained awake an almost
incredible length of time, and who, to-
gether with Jackson, | thought most
likely to win, was showing signs of
WEAKNESS. Then it was that [ thought
l really had some show. 1t was too late
now to give in. Unless that | felt that
it was injuring my health in some way
determined to stick it out. / started
out almost like new man. Then l
had more waking dreams, especially
just before daybreak.
''These hours were my mauvais quart
d'heure. Then only felt real sleepy.
''Sleepy is a mild name for it. [
couldn't keep my eyes open as ALL and
to prevent myself falling asleep in dead
earnest 1 ran about the hail for more
than an hour at a time. Sometimes my
eyes were closed.
ut was only by repeated sponge
baths that | managed to keep my eye
lids from coming together and staying
So
Toward eight o'clock in the morn
ing the sleepiness passed away and /
felt as if | had just awal1ed from re-
freshing sleep. Expecting to feel the
same way every morning 1 became pre-
pared. !
''Often 1 thought 1 was wandering
about the streets taking in the sights,
md then l would return and mingle !
with the crowds at the door,
son these wanderings l often felt
puzzled that was not missed. While 1
vas perfectly aware that these were all
of the brain 1 was unable to !
'estrain myself. think it benefited me, :
hough. 1t relieved my brain OF real :
work. :
Thursday morning had q kind of :
waking dream. imagined has home
n my room looking at the birds.
"a little paroquet is my fayoritc and
always played with it, dreamed it i
lad had no food and was starving. 1 {
wanted to go and feed it, but l was as v
ured, of course, that the birds were re- b
Giving the best of care from the ladies ],
1 the house 1t passed away after b
while, but had the vision before me. D
when / got home on Thursday D
fternoon l found things just as they D
ppeared in the dream. Through some a
versight the birds had not been fed l.
nd were nearly famished. The paro- d
net was biting away at the woodwork. II