440 



moved, and he found on enquiry that a water course carrying 

 ■water from a lake on the hill to a pond below crossed under that 

 field at the place indicated. 



Prebendary Scarth remarked that the question of the in- 

 sulation of the "dowser" had not been touched upon. In his 

 part of the country there was a tradition that if four glasses 

 were placed over running water and a piece of slate or glass 

 placed on them, the water finder, when standing on this sort 

 of platform^ was insulated and lost all power of divining. The 

 divining rod had been used in every part of the country more 

 or less successfully for the discovery of water. 



The Eev. DK Courey Meade said that in the neighbourhood 

 of Swindon, instead of "dowsing" it was known as "jossling." 



Mr. W. J. Brown related his experience at Box, when MuUins 

 was employed by Mr. W. A. Bruce, who was no believer in the 

 efficacy of the divining rod. Water was, however, found, and a 

 well sunk, which gives a good supply to the present time, and 

 Mr. Bruce was converted to a belief in the " dowsing " rod. 



Mr. J. L. Stothert said that at the Bristol Gas Works a man 

 named Lawrence, who was supposed to possess the power of 

 water finding, had been tested by the Secretary, and pointed 

 out, by the aid in this case of a metal spring, without any 

 previous knowledge, a spot in the yard under which there was a 

 water supply. 



Surgeon-General Beatson spoke of water being found under 

 a particular portion of the late ice factory^ just where it was 

 wanted, but he was rather inclined to believe that the man must 

 have known water was under the whole place, and only pointed 

 out the particular spot, knowing that it was the most con- 

 venient to the manager of the works. He also drew attention 

 to a letter on the divining rod in Hone's year book, written at 

 Bath, in which there is not any mention of " dowsing." The 

 '» dowser " is there called " finder," and the implement a 

 *' findinsc stick." 



