In support of Shadow's last, little-known English writer William
Shakespeare made reference to a "second sleep" but I don't recall in
which work.

His 16th-17th century contemporary in China, Wu Cheng'en, also made a
similar reference in *Journey to the West*, better known as *Monkey*
from its late-70s TV adaptation ("So, you want to fight Monkey, eh?").

This puts a crimp in ideas that the 2-sleep night is somehow culturally
specific. There are few people I hate more than post-structuralists and
their insipid ilk!

I also recall mention of a population of French peasants who
"hibernated" through winter, and Amazon Indians on month-long sleepless
hunts. No further specifics on these.

Regards
Michael Barry

****
Actually, human sleeping cycles before artificial light (decent light)
was two sleeping periods a night with a period of activity in between.
-- Leonard Erickson (aka shadow) shadow at shadowgard dot com