Another case (from Somersetshire) is quoted from in _The Western
Gazette_ of 10th February 1893. Evercreech is at the foot of the
Mendips.
"A well has recently been sunk on the premises of Messrs W.
Roles & Son, of Evercreech Junction, on the site of the
proposed milk factory. Mr Henry Smart, head gardener at Pennard
House, was successful with the divining twig (or rod), and a
well was sunk to a depth of 60 feet, when a spring was found
which yielded no less than 15,000 gallons of water in ten
hours. Water came at such a rate that a powerful pump had to be
erected temporarily by Messrs Hill & Son, of Bruton, and was
kept working day and night in order to keep the water down for
the purpose of walling (the well). At the present time there is
50 feet of water in the well, the supply increasing daily."
Professor Barrett wrote to Messrs Roles to know if a well had been sunk
previously, and if the above statement was correct. They reply that the
account is quite correct, and add: "We had previously sunk a well
without the use of the rod, to nearly the same depth, but it was
_unsuccessful_. Six yards from this useless well the diviner found the
spring which now yields enough to supply a small village if required."
The Rev. Martin R. Knapp, M.A., vicar of Holy Trinity, Dalston, writes
to Professor Barrett as follows:--
"72 Forest Road, Dalston, N.E.,
"November 14th, 1896.
"In the summer of 1892, I entered on the vicarage of North
Wootton in North Somerset, and had reason at once to look for
water. I was advised to try a 'water-finder,' and did so. The
dowser was a retired miller, and came provided with a number of
forked twigs. Holding one he traversed the place, and at
certain points the twig oscillated violently in his hands, and
there, he professed, he should find water.
"There was an interesting sidelight in the matter that I will
tell you of. My builder, who came from Bath, was very sceptical
about the whole thing. Three or four of us who were on the spot
tried to see if the twigs would 'play up' with us.
"We were unsuccessful till this man tried his hand, scoffing
the while. But directly that he came to the spots the dowser
had found the twig showed vigorous signs of animation. When his
hand was being twisted in his efforts to keep the twig steady,
I cried to him to hold fast, with the result that the twig
twisted itself into two pieces.
"At Wells, close by, lived a coachman, who was reported to have
the power to find, not only water but minerals. He carries
neither rod nor twig, and told me when I inquired, that his
sensations are undoubted and extraordinary whenever he is
directly above either water or minerals.
"MARTIN R. KNAPP."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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