Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-05-15
Stick (nOt TabIe) Turning.

ment of belief in Rhabdomacy (di-
VinatiOn by means of a rod) at q very
remote period of history. Expressed
briefly, the diviniug-rod, divination,
dowsing las the Cornish people called
it, or rhabdomancy, relates to the use
of twig or rod, generally of hazel,
held in the two hands. When the per-
son holding it passes over hidden
spring of water, a deposit of metal
underground, or the spot where a rob
berry or murder has been committed,
the rod undergoes agitation without
any spontaneous action on the part of
the holder. Such is the theory.
In the last century, the divining-rod
had many staunch believers in the dis
trict of the Mendip Hills, and they
scarcely ever sank shaft but by its
direction. Billingley, in his Agricul-
tural Survey of Somerset, said that
dexterous dowsers could mark on the
ground the exact course and bredth of
the vein underneath, and, even if blind
folded, they could detect the same spot
twenty times over. Sir Walter Scott
made Dousterswivel lin the Antiquary)
traverse the aisles of a ruined struc-
ture, to demonstrate that forked rod
of hazel would discover the locality of
hidden springs of water. The narra-
tive of the exploit is well worth reading
whatever Scott himself may have
thought of rhabdomancy. William
Hone records that a gentleman went to
see young farmer near Bristol gifted
with this faculty. The farmer travers-
ed courtyard, and found the tWig
move when he came over 8 covered
we'll, despite, as he declared, of his at
tempt to hold steady. There was then
placed watch under one of three hats.
The farmer, without knowing it previ-
ously, discovered the right hat by the
bending of the rod. The gentleman
candidly owned that when lie tried the
experiment it was failure but the
farmer accounted for this on the ground
that only few persons possesses the
faculty.
1t has been stated that Lady Noel
was one of those thus gifted; that on
one occasion, when at Warlingham, in
the presence of Mr.. Dawson Turner and
other gentlemen, she passed along
ground above springs invisible and un-
known to her; hazel twig which she
held in her hands turned down when
she was over the spring. She earnestly
asserted that it did so not only without
her prompting, but against her express
attempts to keep it still /; in proof of
which she showed marks on her
thumbs and fingers, as if they had been
subject to great pressure.
In Cornwall there has always been a
firm belief in the diVining-rod the
theory being that one person in about
forty possesses the power of using it
Mrs. Colonel Beaumont, early in the
century, is said to have had this pecu-
liar gift; at any rate, the rod did bend
down in certain instances, when she
was passing over concealed metals or
springs. In an early volume of the
Monthly Magazine, there was letter
from a Mr.. Partridge, of Boxbridge,
giving many instances Of the discovery
of hidden springs of water by the diVin-
ing.rod. He was impressed with be-
lief that the power is possessed by a
much smaller number Of persons than
some have supposed,-only one in two
thousand.
A good deal of attention was paid by
the newspapers to certain alleged
achievements of two diVineres, or dow
sers, about twenty years ago. They
were West of England men, named
Adams and Mspstone. A farmer near
Wedmore, in Somerset, wishing for a
supply of water on his farm, applied to
Mapstone. Mapstone used hazel-rod
in the usual way, and when he came
over particular spot, declared that
water would be found fifteen or twenty
feet beneath the surface. Digging was
therefore commenced at that spot, and
water appeared at depth of nineteen
feet. The other expert, Adams, who
claimed to have been instrumental in
the discovery of nearly a hundred
springs in the west of England, went
one day, by invitation, to the house of
Mr.. Phippen, a surgeon, at Wedmore,
to dowse for water. He walked about
in the garden behind Mr.. Phippen's
house until the stick became so agitat-
ed that he could not keep it steady; it
bent down at spot which he asserted
must have water underneath it. Mr..
Phippen caused digging to be made.
and water was really found at the spot
indicated. As a means of testing Ad
ANS powers in relation to metals, three
hats were placed in row in the kiteh-
en-, and three silver spoons under one
of the hats. Adams walked among the
hats, and his rod told him which of
them covered the treasure. Then three
kinds of valuables, gold, silver, and
Jewels, were placed under three hats,
one kind under each and he found
out which was which. On another
occasion, he dowsed for water in the
grounds of the Rev. Mr.. Foster, of Sod
bury, in Worcestershire using the !
same method as before, he announced |
the presence of water at a particular
spot, twenty feet beneath the surface.
pamphlet published by Mr.. Phippen
these curious facts attracted
the attention of Mr.. Marshall, partner
IN the great fax factory at Leeds
Water was wanted at the mill, and the
owners were willing to see whether
lowsing could effect anything in the
matter. Mr.. Marshall invited Adams
10 come down and search for springs.
On one occasion, when blindfolded,
Adams failed, but hit the mark pretty
nearly on the second attempt, excus-
ng himself for the first failure on the
ground that che was not used to be
Of the main expert
nents Mr.. Marshall afterwards said, in
letter to the newspapers, 81 tested
Adams by taking him over some deep
,orings at our mandatory, where he
,ould have no possible guide from any
hing he could see; and he certainly
,ointed out nearly the position of the
prings, as shown by the produce of
he bore-holes-some being much more
productive than others. The same
vas the result at another factory, where
Adams could have had no guide from
THAT he saw, and could not have got
otherwise"
There was one Edward Seebold who,
bout the same period, created some
ensation in Germany by his exhibition
{ this sort of underground knowledge.
{ was not, with him, divination Of
idder metals or springs, however; It /
Tas simply that diVining-rod, spon-
aneously as it would seem, turned !
ound in his hand when he held out /
Df. Herbert Mayo, be- $
no at Weilbach in the year 'fOrty-seV- I