Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-07-10
RHABDOMANCY.

Rhabdomancy is the power said to
exist in some individuals OF discovering
things hid in the bowels OF the earth,
especially metals, ores and bodies OF
water, by a change in their precep-
tions or the use OF such instruments
as the "sidereal pendulum" the "bi-
polar cylinder" and the "diyining
rod" Rhabdomancy was known to
the ancients. From the most remote
periods" says Kieser, in his system OF
Tellurism, indications are found or
an art OF discovering veins In the earth
by direct perc option" Campetti, an
Italian, attracted much attention
some seventy years ago by pretending
to be capable Of aseertaining by his
feelings the places where metals and
water existed under the ground, and
many experiments seemed TO confirm
his statements. The King OF Bavaria
sent for him and he went TO Munich
where the experiments were renewed
and proved satisfactory.
Michael Meyer, a resident Of Read
ing, Pa, is said to possess the powers
OF Rhabdomancy, and, recently an
Eagle reporter interviewed him and
obtained the following statement re-
spec,ing his experience. He said:-
"Some seven years ago | dug for
water on my farm in Cumru township
and went down seventy feet without
obtaining any. was advised TO send
for water seeker and more from
curiosity than from a belief in his
ability 10 locate an underground
stream. got q Lancaster county man
with dvining rod After using his
rod he said, You didn't dig at the
right place; you are five feet 10 one
side Of the stream He had used a
small branch ] told him that / did
not believe the piece OF wood he held
in his hand knew where there was
water and where there was none. He
then went TO an apple tree and cut on
q limb having branches in the shape
ola V and thicker than my little
finger, and remarked, I'll convince
YOU that this wand knows where there
is water You take hold Of one branch
while I keep hold of the other, and
see II you can hold the limb up and
prevent il from bending downward
when We come 70 the place where L
said there Is water / am strong
man. and I tried all my might to keep
the rod up, but could not. 1t bent
down short at my hand BY digging
the spot subsequently | found water
and by other eXreriments L became
thoroughly convinced that there Is
virtue in the divining rod. But il re-
Curcs n person peculiarly constituted
and charged with an extra amount OF
electricity TO handle il.
"Tn the course Of my experiments L
buried four silver half dollars in the
garden. and some time thereafter l
tested the powers ola diviner. I re-
marked that had dreamed there was
money buried somewhere in the gar
den and I desired him to find it IL
there was any there. He passed over
portions Of the ground with his divin-
ing rod in his hand, and then said.
there IS something unusual hereP
Finally he stopped and said: Here is
the SPOT He had found the exact
place where I buried the money"
The reporter inquired How large is
tho wand you generally usc?" II
usually use a twig having two prongs
about two feet long It must be or
only one years growth. A hazel twig
is about as good as apple wood for
finding water, and better for search
ing for iron, copper or silver ores. In
seeking water the diyining rod bends
in the direction in which the water
runs. Sometimes the attraction has
been so strong as to twist and crack
the twie close to the hand BY max
ing calculation from the manner and
direction in which the twig was drawn
have not only ascertained the e1-
act location Of the water but also tho
exact depth OF the stream under the
ground. I have also traced the veins
OF ore for miles. There are more
minerals in the vicinity OF Reading
than most people imagine. Seeking
for water and ores is, however, not my
occupation.