[Rejn'inted ( with additions ) from the Jouknal of the Psychical 
Society, hy permission of the Council.] 
|ifpoi1 on III ells Sunil at fotliing, Somerset, 
to ®est t|e alleged ||okr of \\t 
♦ 
By Peof. W. J. SOLLx\S, D.Sc., F.G.S., Fellow of St. John’s 
College, Cambeidge. 
N response to an invitation I made one of a party of investi- 
X gatoi’s, Avlio on the 14tli of May, 1883, proceeded to the 
little village of Locking, to conduct an inquiry into the alleged 
phenomena of “ dowsing,” “ rhabdomancy,” or divining for water. 
Our party consisted of Dr. Burder, the esteemed President of 
the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, a lady who was believed to 
possess the power of divining, Mr. Pope, Mr. Pease, and others. 
I accompanied them as a professional geologist to determine the 
geological conditions under which the experiments were to be 
made. 
A-t Locking we were introduced to the “ dowser,” Mr. Thomas 
Young, an aged and experienced man, who for fifty years had 
been engaged in finding underground water, and with admitted 
success. He showed us the whole modus operandi of his art ; 
and we were told to particularly notice that, at the critical 
moment, the dowsing rod turned of itself, without any pressure 
being exerted by the fingers of the dowser ; on this point. 
