The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-08-23
EXPECTS OF EcLIPsEs.
c~,so-. Actions Of Hanam BeiDEs.
Beasts and Birds M the Phe-
nomenOn Approaches.

Beasts and Birds M the Phe-
nomenon Approaches.
AS an eclipse approaches an unnst'
ural chill comes into the atmosphere,
and people become nervous and ex-
cited. Children cling to their mothers
in fright, while the young of all crea-
lures seek maternal protection, as il
from some unknown danger. Birds
Autter about in CONSERVATION aud
make for their nests, and chickens
20 to roost as the darkness grows.
Cattle stop chewing the cud and &c
home from pasture, shifting the air as
if fearing violent storm. Horses, too
become greatly excited, those loose il
the fields running about distractedly
while such as are in harness are scared
by the most familiar objects.
On beasts of prey an eclipse has ire.
markable effect, making them unusual
" ferocious, so that they will attack
human beings with the utmost bold.
ness. It inspires all wild animals with
the dread of attack from unknown foes
for whom they keep on the alert.
As long as the darkness continues
brooding stiffness prevails amongst al
living things but wolves and dogs.
Strangely enough, these set up snap
pish yelping, which is entirely different
from their ordinary bark or night
howl. Between their spells Of yelpins
domestic dogs whine and cover, as il
imploring protection of their human
companions.
Natural sounds, such as the Whistlins
of the wind or the noise of water fall
ing, seem unusually loud and disturb
ing. Even the trees lose their ordinary
look and color, the light sitting down
through them in fantastic round
blotches. As the eclipse gradually be-
comes total the fading light of the
sun appears as if divided into separate
beams that come down quivering and
slanting.
Upon the ignorant and superstitious
the phenomenon has tremendous eft
feet. They betray abject fear, while
dreading the advent of some dire ca
lamity they know not of.
During the total eclipse which hap.
pened in July, 1873, a negro in the Unit.
ed States was seized with frenzy and
killed his wife and three children.
At the beginning of an eclipse in Jan,
uary, 1883, there were some strange
proceedings at Picking. The Chinese
mandarins gave orders for the drums
to be beaten to put to fight the celes.
tial dragon that they believed was
swallowing the sun.
Al somewhat similar superstition ap.
pears to prevail amongst the. Turks
On May Is, 1877, there was an eclipse Oh
the sun visible in Europe which created
not little CONSERVATION amongst the
subjects of the sultan. Indeed. they
were so much perturbed that they
raised riot and discharged all kinds
Of guns and cannon at the sun, with
the object of delivering it from the
claws of the mythical dragon.
A French astronomer who went tc
India to observe the eclipse of Angus.
Is. 1868, describes queer incident
which took place at the time. He had
engaged number of natives to attend
to his apparatus, but just when the
sun commenced to darken they all
scampered away to the river to battle,
On inquiring the reason for this ex-
traordinary conduct he was informed
that it was done in conformance with
heather religious rite. At such times
this required them to plunge into wa,
ter as means of destroying the infu.
ence of the evil spirit which was sup.
posed to be assailing the sun. s
Even in this enlightened country su.
perstition is associated with eclipses
where Ignorance in regard to them has
not yet been dispelled.