BOOK II. 39 



bush grows above a vein. Others use a different kind of twig for each metal, 

 when they are seeking to discover the veins, for they employ hazel twigs 

 for veins of silver ; ash twigs for copper ; pitch pine for lead and especially 

 tin, and rods made of iron and steel for gold. All alike grasp the forks of 

 the twig with their hands, clenching their fists, it being necessary that the 

 clenched fingers should be held toward the sky in order that the twig should 

 be raised at that end where the two branches meet. Then they wander 

 hither and thither at random through mountainous regions. It is said 

 that the moment they place their feet on a vein the twig immediately turns 

 and twists, and so by its action discloses the vein ; when they move 

 their feet again and go away from that spot the twig becomes once more 

 immobile. 



The truth is, they assert, the movement of the twig is caused by the 

 power of the veins, and sometimes this is so great that the branches of trees 

 growing near a vein are deflected toward it. On the other hand, those 

 who say that the twig is of no use to good and serious men, also deny that 

 the motion is due to the power of the veins, because the twigs will not move 

 for everybody, but only for those who employ incantations and craft. More- 

 over, they deny the power of a vein to draw to itself the branches of trees, 

 but they say that the warm and dry exhalations cause these contortions. 

 Those who advocate the use of the twig make this reply to these objections : 

 when one of the miners or some other person holds the twig in his hands, 

 and it is not turned by the force of a vein, this is due to some peculiarity 

 of the individual, which hinders and impedes the power of the vein, for since 

 the power of the vein in turning and twisting the twig may be not unlike 

 that of a magnet attracting and drawing iron toward itself, this hidden 

 quality of a man weakens and breaks the force, just the same as garlic 

 weakens and overcomes the strength of a magnet. For a magnet smeared 

 with garlic juice cannot attract iron ; nor does it attract the latter when 

 rusty. Further, concerning the handling of the twig, they warn us that 

 we should not press the fingers together too lightly, nor clench them too 

 firmly, for if the twig is held lightly they say that it will fall before the force 

 of the vein can turn it ; if however, it is grasped too firmly the force of the 

 hands resists the force of the veins and counteracts it. Therefore, they 

 consider that five things are necessary to insure that the twig shall serve 

 its purpose : of these the first is the size of the twig, for the force of the 

 veins cannot turn too large a stick ; secondly, there is the shape of the twig, 

 which must be forked or the vein cannot turn it ; thirdly, the power of the 

 vein which has the nature to turn it ; fourthly, the manipulation of the twig ; 

 fifthly, the absence of impeding peculiarities. These advocates of the twig 

 sum up their conclusions as follows : if the rod does not move for every- 

 body, it is due to unskilled manipulation or to the impeding peculiarities 

 of the man which oppose and resist the force of the veins, as we said above, 

 and those who search for veins by means of the twig need not necessarily make 

 incantations, but it is sufficient that they handle it suitably and are devoid 

 of impeding power ; therefore, the twig may be of use to good and serious 



