THE WILL-O'-THE-WISP AND ITS FOLK-LORE. 6j 



Fig. 6. 



K 



courses freely througli it, being considerably assisted by the conical 

 end-pieces K K. When the requisite depth is reached, the line is 

 checked and is finally hauled in. Under the pressure 

 of the hauling, the flap D falls down into an horizontal 

 position,' when it is caught by the movable piece of 

 brass F, which moves round an axis, /, and is sup- 

 ported on the side opposite to E by the rod G, which 

 rests on the spiral spring H. The water rushing past 

 D, when thus in an horizontal position, exercises a suffi- 

 cient pressure uj^on the rod to close the stopcocks B, B. 

 When the speed with which the bottle is hauled through 

 the water is increased, the pressure on D becomes so 

 great that it overcomes the tension of the spring H, 

 and E passes the catch F, when the rest of the journey 

 upward is performed with the flap D hanging down, 

 and therefore offering the least possible resistance to 

 the water. When the water-bottle has been brought 

 up, it is only necessary to substitute for the lower funnel 

 a small nozzle, bv which the water mav be drawn off, 

 and the instrument be made ready for immediate use 

 without having: to detach it. It has been ascertained 

 by experiment that the water obtained by this instru- 

 ment is an average of the last two fathoms through 

 which it has passed. 



M 



-- 



THE WILL-O'-THE-WISP AXD ITS FOLK-LOEE. 



By T. F. THISELTON DYEE. 



AMOI^G the many sources of superstition in this and other coun- 

 tries, the phenomenon well known as the Will-o'-the-Wisp has 

 from time immemorial held a prominent place. Indeed, it would be 

 no easy task to enumerate the various shapes in which the imagination 

 has pictured this mysterious appearance, not to mention the manifold 

 legends that have clustered round it. In days gone by, when our 

 credulous forefathers believed in the intervention of fairies in human 

 affairs, the Will-o'the-Wisp entered largely into their notions respect- 

 ing the agency of these little beings in their dealings with mankind ; 

 and, as will be seen in the course of the present paper, numerous 

 stories were often related in which some fairy disguised as Will-o'- 

 the-Wisp was the chief character. It is worthy, too, of note that, 

 although in these enlightened days every relic of primitive culture is 

 gradually fading from our gaze, the old superstitious fancies associated 

 with this nocturnal visitor still survive with more or less vigor, retain- 

 ing that hold on the vulgar mind which they formerly possessed. 



