U'cd/Zwr, U'airr und Disease. 27 



spirit who resides there some kiiid of offering." FrankHii 

 saw a similar sacrifice made by an Indian, whose wife had 

 been afflicted with sickness by the water-spirits, and who, 

 accordingly to appease them, tied in a small bundle a knife 

 and piece of tobacco and committed them to the rapids. 



The Bohemians will go to pray on the river-bank where a 

 man has been drowned, and there they will cast in an offering, 

 a loaf of raw l)read and a pair of wax-candles. On Christmas 

 eve they will put a spoonful of each dish on a plate, and after 

 supper throw the food into the well, with an appointed 

 formula, thus : 



" House-father j^ives thee f^reetiug, 

 Thee b}- me entreatin};^ 

 Springlet, share our feast of Yule, 

 But give us water to the full; 

 When the land is plagued with draught 

 Drive it with thy well-spring out." 



"Perhaps Welshmen no longer offer cocks and hens to vSt. 

 Tecla at her sacred well and church of Llandegla, but Cornish 

 folk still drop into the old holy wells offerings of pins, nails 

 and rags, expecting from their waters cures for disease, and 

 omens from their bubbles as to health and marriage." 



Between this mythological standpoint and (jur present one, 

 much hard work has been done. It has consisted principally 

 of chemical investigations, until a recent period. There was 

 no provision in the savages animistic theory of nature for 

 anything except the satisfaction of his fears. He looked to a 

 propitiatory sacrifice, but not to any practical provision for 

 his wants. He satisfied them as he came to the river, lake or 

 spring, nor was it necessary that in the midst of nature's 

 al)undance he should do otherwise. But when there came an 

 aggregation of individuals in towns, communities, or cities, 

 some provision was necessary for continuous and certain 

 supply. 



In estimating its quality, the unaided senses w^ere relied 

 upon for testing it. The more scientific methods have not 

 even yet supplemented them. They can give you information 

 as to color, odor, sediment and taste, so that a fair judgment 

 may be rendered. The standard requires water to be colorless 

 or nearly so— without odor, fre.e frqjn sediment and without 



