104 APRIL 



usefulness, to express some doubt as to the part 

 played by the divining rod. It seemed so much 

 easier to credit the man with experience and quick 

 powers of observation, enabling him to detect the 

 presence of subterranean springs by means of signs 

 invisible to less practised eyes. That Mullins was 

 an expert was beyond doubt : dozens of people had 

 reason to be grateful to him for finding water for 

 them after all other means had failed. The only 

 question was whether he was not a bit of a humbug 

 also. It was determined to invite him to submit to 

 certain simple tests. He accepted Lord Jersey's 

 invitation to examine the ground at Osterley Park, 

 near Isleworth, in the presence of certain persons 

 accustomed to scientific inquiry. Now in describing 

 what took place, there is no intention of reflecting 

 unfairly on Mullins' proceedings, or of imputing to 

 him any intentional dishonesty. There may have 

 been a degree of suspicion in the minds of some 

 of those present ; probably there was ; but Mullins 

 got perfectly fair play, and people must be left to 

 draw their own conclusions from an accurate report 

 of the proceedings and their result in the only serious 

 attempt on record to test the virtues of the divining 

 rod. 



