Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-09

places where he would get water at a
depth of about eight feet near every
putting green but one, which was
perched on the top of a high sandy
eminence. ffG
| used in those days to hold the twig
in front of me, fingers uppermost; but
on one occasion, while travelling fast
over field. was struck severe
blow on the mouth by the tail of the
rod on passing suddenly over hidden
spring Since then ! have. when seek
ing water held the fingers down. with
the tail of the rod resting hard up
against the under side of my forearm
If the fork is splated in this manner
and the thumbs are Tapped over the
forefingers. it is impossible to turn the
stick ones self only water or fluids
can pull its tail down.
During 1911 kept on improving as a
water finder, and not only located the
site of source which supplied water
for the camp of our brigade 1t Lisna-
gar, near Fermony, but won bet with
regard 80 the finding of water ut
depth of under twenty feet i'll a most
unlikely spot close to our mess tent.
The ROYAL Engineers sank a Norton
tube, and came on water at fifteen feet
| make no pretensions, however. to es-
timating depths at which water will be
found, or the probable quantity in gal
Ions per hour. Some OWNERS can fore
tell these with marvellous accuracy,
as the result of long practice and much
experience.
| have seen it stated that
the twig only turns to running water.
but such is not the case. With me 1t
will reveIve to wine glassful uf water
On the floor at horizontal distance
of three feet or more
In 1912 | found that my rod was es-
pccially sensitive to gold. but turned,
though less readily to other metals,
with the exception of silver. Why sill
YER has on me no effect whatsoever
seems most strange and inexplicable.
Last December a gentleman asked me
to try to locate sovereign concealed
by him in a-large room i'll which we
were sitting, and [ very soon "sensed
it correctly under a fur rug on a sofa.
While | was working it round on side
of the room my hazel turned to a
small wooden model OF snip WIN
apparently no metal at all about her.
Thinking the rod might have jumped
through careless handling, | tried
again. and with the same result. On
nv expressing surprise, my most lauSh-
ed and said, THAT is a collecting mon
ey-box, and probably there are several
coppers in it," which proved to be the
case. The hazel must have smels, as
il were. the coppers through Il small
slit i'm the ship's deck. as even gold IN
side n shut wooden box has no elect at
that time what may be called the al
finitv" method by which the action OF
wood, paper. and water can be mega
tived. was unknown to me. ms syS-
TEN consists in sensing an object by
holding a similar object in ones hand
in contact with the rod, the latter pc
ing in state of tension.
I should first of all explain that wa
ter and oil make the splayed stick turn
in the same way as the hands of a
clock. while metals turn it in the re-
verse directicn-that is to say, that
when the tail of the rod is lying under
one's forearm, il will move forward
and inward when water is approached
When sensing" metals generally let
the tail lie back against my chest. The
pull of metal will then draw IT Tor
ward and downward. When doubtful
as to whether metal or water rs going
to affect it | hold it horizontally. the
tail about the level of ones waist on
the left side.
There is an erroneous idea preNaieht
among some that the twig must De OF
hazel; others believe that willow is
the only weed that turns; but the witt
or has worked with all sorts of medi-
,lms-hazel, ash hawthorn. blackthorn,
beech. rhododendron, bamboo-cane.
and whalebnne The last-named. when
two thick and rounded pieces are lash-
ed together at the bottom, makes
nice. easy rod to handle. far less tiring
and less liable to fracture than wood.
The affinity" method mentioned
above was the result of casual re-
ark,oiff a. friend who hsid inst seen
demonstration fbr fheR ffisp tifaeq7 He