220 Gilpin's POEEST SCBNEEY. 



perhaps from pent air. But no cause that wa^ 

 alleged, appeared equal to the effect. In the 

 meantime the tree did not always groan, some- 

 times disappointing its visitants ; yet no cause 

 could be assigned for its temporary cessations, 

 either from seasons or weather. If any difference 

 was observed, it was thought to groan least when 

 the weather was wet, and most when it was clear 

 and frosty ; but the sound, at all times, seemed to 

 arise from the root. 



Thus the Groaning Tree continued an object of 

 astonishment during the space of eighteen or 

 twenty months, to all the country around ; and, 

 for the information of distant parts, a pamphlet 

 was drawn up, containing a particular account of 

 all the circumstances relating to it. 



At length, the owner of it, a gentleman of the 

 name of Forbes, making too rash an experiment 

 to discover the cause, bored a hole in its trunk. 

 After this it never groaned. It was then rooted 

 up, with a further view to make a discovery ; but 

 still nothing appeared which led to any investiga- 

 tion of the cause. It was universally, however, 

 believed that there was no trick in the affair, but 



