174 THE DIVINING ROD 



' There are several tracks here,' said he ; ' I am afraid I 

 am beaten this time.' It turned out that the young 

 lady had been in the garden before luncheon gathering 

 flowers I 



The next chase ended more satisfactorily. A male 

 member of the party was sent forth, his ' power ' having 

 been duly taken, and, after prolonged pursuit, was run 

 to ground. This brought to mind how Vallemont, 

 writing towards the end . of the seventeenth century 

 about baguette directoire (which it was considered 

 essential should be of hazel), describes its employment 

 in tracking criminals. 



Even more perplexing was Mr. Howson's next 

 demonstration of his power. He bade us arrange round 

 a table a number of pieces of crockery porcelain, 

 delf, stoneware, etc., three or four of each manufacture. 

 We did so, and allowed the operator to 'take the 

 power' of one piece of a set. He was then brought 

 into the room blindfold, was led round the table, and 

 with his rod picked out the pieces of the set of which 

 he had taken the ' power.' 



After removing the bandage from his eyes, we put 

 before him four ' bellarmines ' or ' greybeards,' those 

 quaint stoneware jugs manufactured in the Low 

 Countries and Germany in the sixteenth and seven- 

 teenth centuries and imported to Britain containing 

 Hollands or other spirit. Three of these had recently 

 been dug up near the old castle here ; the fourth had 

 been purchased in London. The rod indicated that 

 the four jugs were not of identical make, but that they 

 were of different lots ; I forget whether two or three. 



