The Divining Rod.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 476, 31 May 1890, Page 6

The Divining Rod.

The divining rod as a means of finding a good supply of water stood a very successful trial at Oundle, Northamptonshire. Mr W. Todd, a landowner, requiring a well on a portion of his property, sent for a ‘ diviner,’ a man named Pearson. There has been lately some considerable difficulty in obtaining a supply of water in the town, and the Oundle Commissioners have spent £B3 in trial borings. Although the trials were conducted by a professional man, they proved futile. In the presence of a number of spectators, drawn together by the novelty of the experiments, Mr Pearson, with the usual V-shaped hazel twig, walked over the estate. In several places the twig was visibly agitated, but the ‘ diviner ’ kept on until the"'twig nearly bent itself double in his hands. At this spot he indicated with confidence that a good supply of water would be found. A well was accordingly sunk, with the result that at a depth of 17 feet water was found in such abundance that it rapidly rose to within three feet of the surface, at which height it has since remained. During the making of the well, the water percolated into it so rapidly that at frequent intervals operations had to be suspended to pump out the water.