SLEEP-WALKING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 23

SLEEP-WALKING.

CURIOUS CTIRTSTCHUROH CASE. An. unusual case P of eleep-walking occurred in Christchurch in tho very early hours one morning last week (says the Lvttelton Times), the chief actors being the somnambulist, a young lady of about 27, a constable; and a taxi-driver. The constable was patrolling Colombo street, about 2 a.m., when he noticed a woman walking , alone Ihrough Cathedral square. He was struck by the fact that she was alone, and was puzzled to know whether she had been attending a d'ance. So as not to frighten her, as she continued to walk in hLs direction, he stepped out into the road, and then he noticed that sho was wearing no hat, aud had nothing on but a long chemise and shoes, but no stockings, lie came 'to the conclusion at once that the woman was a somnambulist,, and, realising that it was dangerous to suddenly waken anyone in such a condition, ho decided to keep her under close watch. Ho therefore walked closely alongside her. They went up Colombo street northwards, when a young man walking home late from a night job, sighted the young lady, and, to uso his own words, was on the point of taking to his heels when he also saw the constable. Ho called out in alarm: "Who is that lady, constable?" "It's all right," said the constable, "she is walking in her sleep, and it would be dangerous to waken her." The young lady walked on over the Colombo street bridge, with the constable close behind. Possibly there is something in tho theory that a sleep-walker cannot cross running water, for on reaching tho other side tho young lady paused and swayed, and the constable was just up in time to catch her as she collapsed. He put his greatcoat around her, and in a few seconds she seemed to waken up, as if out of a deep, and soon regained absolute normality. Immediately on coming to consciousness the young lady exclaimed, "I have lost the key of the house." This was not bo, however, for tho constable had 'found it in her hand, and had taken it from her after he caught her He reassured her about the key, -and sho was gseatly relieved, for it appeared that in her sleep she had mad© her way out of the house, unlocking the front door and locking it again quietly bohind her. Tho constable sumirioend a taxi, and drove the young lady home, where she was able to let herself in quietly with the key. The distance she had walked was possibly a mile, and the strange thins is that sho encountered nobody but tho constable The young lady was not subject to sleepwalking, although she waa supposed to have walked once in her sleep when a child. Inquiries on the following day showed that she had suffered no ill effects from her nocturnal walk.