THE DEVONSHIRE ASH-TREE CHARM. 
120 
fastened together with nails. This was carefully attended to in the 
case under notice, and it is believed that the tree has fully recovered. 
The child is certainly sound, and looks strong and healthy • never- 
theless, neither of its parents or grandparents has taken any 
interest in the ash, and none of them had ever seen it from the 
time the charm was wrought up to the date of my visit. They 
are satisfied with the child's recovery. Indeed, when I expressed 
a wish that the father would take me to the tree, he frankly stated 
that he had never seen it, and did not know its exact position. 
" I hadn't much faith in it at the time," said he, " and didn't go 
when it was done ; but," he added, " 'tis certain the child 's per- 
fectly cured." Being instructed by his wife, however, respecting 
the exact locality, he accompanied me to the wood, where it was 
stated we should find several such trees, as many Kingswear 
children had been treated for rupture in the same way, iu the same 
wood, and all had been cured. The girl, however, whose case has 
been just described, is not only the latest instance, but the only 
example of a female patient known in the district. The same " old 
man " had been the only principal operator within living memory ; 
and he performed the charm quite gratuitously. He neither expected 
nor received any fee or reward ; but it is not supposed that his 
doing so would have effected the efficacy of the charm. 
On reaching the wood, a little search sufficed for the discovery 
of two trees which had certainly undergone the treatment. One 
of them was nine inches in circumference at the centre of the slit, 
where neither the bark nor wood had completely closed. Judging 
from the scar, the slit must have been about seven feet long. This 
was probably the tree we were seeking. In the other, which was 
eighteen inches in circumference, and had had a slit from six to 
seven feet long, the wood was quite closed, but, at and near the 
centre, the edges of the bark were about 2*5 inches asunder. 
In reply to a question, my companion stated that he had never 
heard, nor did he suppose, that a patient perfectly cured would be 
in any way affected by anything which might subsequently befall 
the tree. It may be suspected, however, that he is more or less 
tainted with rationalism. {Trans. Devon. Assoc., ix., 94-6.) 
2. As 'practised near Ashburton : — 
The Ash- tree charm is by no means confined to the Kingswear 
district. Mr. R. Dymond, f.s.a., writing in 1876, says, " Passing 
VOL. VII. I 
