American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-12-05

society, oil ifrepfoaChaoie lhesr''y' s"o"o J"Nb,,
and quick penetration those whose words we coulo
h,liere a, firmly as our own knowledge, and to
whose uprightness we could safely trust uncounted
treasures, When such persons confidently assert
tina, they possess the art Of discovering hidden wa
,er,. and when We know that the hud IS actually
found beneath the place pointed out, we may oene'e
,ba, thew have deceived themselves, but never that
tbey could impose on the creduty OF others. Inc
motives to fraud few the possessors OF the Skin
have seldom exerted it for more than trlnlng Pc
cuni,ry reward 1t has never been made the means
of extortion or excessive gain, by any OF It's pro-
fessors. Reputation, there Is lille given 10 'hose
holding the mysterious wand.
A writer in the last Journal OF Arts probably It's
LEARNED editor Professor Silimsn. has thrown the
most satisfactory light on this subject OF doubt and
difficulty The length Of this article renders 1t ne
cessary TO present brief abstract oil the interesting
contents of an ingenious paper.
In the New England States, springs, streams ano
ores arc so abundant, that the earth cannot be pehe
racd in any spot indicated by stick without mo
ing water at greater or les, distance from the sur.
face. In the Western and Southern Territories,
where they are no, so copious, the search is attend
ed with difficulty and the Of the d!yinng rod IS
common The writer had an opportunity OF max
ny bis experiments on the art where Its operations
had been considered most triumphant The course
of stream had been pointed out by an aged aoept,
near the spot where well had been sunk. youth
protesting skill taken, and with the rod he foi-
lowed the .xac, direction indicated by the older pro-
lessor. which was after ma ked ON the sod by Sigh,
furtow. He was then bndiolded so that nc could
see nothing, and led to lite distance. On return.
ing with measured steps, the rod turned down ex
ac,y on arriving to the !urrow. This seemed
most satisfactory result, and an entire confirmation
Of the certainty in the process But on leading the
lad TO the next urrow The rod missed u, and. con-
tinung the experiment. II pointed IN DINER piaces
Wherever the fountain was discovered, the turf was
torn off. and spings were said to DC every where'
| Ga tho termination of the operation the whole sur
face was marked with the black spots, and waters
made to with the eyes closed where II had oeen
decided by the sight that none flowed.
The writer having satisfied himsel. that deluslor
wa. practsed on the senses OF the operator. nexl
sought Tor the method by which It was effected -
The rod would not move in his hands. lie watched
closely the mod de Of holding the Instrument by the
sklul and noticed that it was grasped in peculiar
lively manner. Hoping to catch this he again took
the rod, as he stood by the bank OF the rtuet, ano
graspcd il with the same spirit he had noticed. tic
moved neither hand nor iDot but the rod was IN &C
lion, and his utmost efforts could not RESTRAIN It
The limbs crawled round and the pont turned down
in spite OF eve,y effort of the clenched hands &c
prevent its motion. The more vigorous the pres
sure, the ore active the motion, until the BARI
was wrung of in the contest
Here the whole mystery was explained. Th'
muscular power OF the clenched hands acting on III
elastic Hbres of the twigs, sets the rod III motion
without the conni,ance Of the di,iner, and the NOR
firm his faith in lis truth and vcraciy, WIN the more
certainty is the impulse unconscousy given. lh'
more powerful are his effects TO restrain it, the NOR
powerful is its efforts to move, The natural posi-
ton Of the hands, impels it forward rather thar
oat kwsrd, aud the necessary pressure oil the mus
Giles produces that effect which has been 'akento b.
The invisible attraction Of unseen fluids, acting
through thick and hesvy mass OF earthly matter.
Nat. .Egis.