424 



overran it a foot or so, and then felt round, as it were, and 

 seemed to be led back into the exact centre of influence by 

 the twig. 



" All present considered the trial entirely conclusive of. 

 two things. 



"First, of the man's perfect good faith. 

 ^ " Secondly, that the effect produced on the twig emanated 

 from an agency outside of himself, and appeared due to the 

 presence of running water. 



" My brother, Mr. Harold Finch-Hatton, is present as I write, 

 and confirms what I say. 



"It is true that one of the Misses Wordsworth tried the twig, 

 and was surprised to find that an influence of a similar nature, 

 though not so strong, was imparted to it." 



Within the last few days I have been fortunate enough to 

 obtain some other very valuable and significant evidence. 

 Valuable from the fact that it is the testimony of one whose 

 position and attainments entitle him to be heard on any subject 

 with respect, and significant on account of its remarkable 

 corroborative character. It came from Mr. H. D. Skrine, of 

 Claverton !Manor, who saj's ; — 



" My first acquaintance with the divining rod was in January, 

 1865. I had heard that one John MuUins, a well sinker, who 

 lived at Colerne, had the gift of finding water by the rod. I sent 

 for him and took a walk through the great wood at Warleigh 

 and a field called Biggs' Leaze, adjoining the village of Conkwell, 

 where I had thought of building a cottage as a sort of sanitorium 

 for my wife, who was then in delicate health and required a more 

 bracing air than Warleigh. On the way, he tried the divining 

 rod several times, and I was aware that in a line below the 

 points where the twig turned with him there was a spring in the 

 wood which came to the surface. Arrived on the field, the twig 

 turned with him in several places, and he set a mark on the wall 

 opposite the spot. A few days after I asked Mr. Earle, Rector 



