by natural running streams. The rod, or twig, does not
work if carried over water passing through drains, culverts, and such
like. My explanation of the movements of the rod is that they are caused
by electro-magnetism, the diviner being perhaps highly charged with
electricity. The water has absorbed the electricity of the adjacent
bodies in the earth, the currents coming to the surface enters the
air--ether--and the currents entering his body, he being a
non-conductor, agitates him. Most people are conductors, consequently
the current passes through them, and they do not feel it. The electric
twig in the hands of the diviner forms a part of the connection between
the body and the water, and by a law of nature, these two bodies must
either attract or repel each other. If the experimenter is a person
with a small amount of the electric fluid in his nature, that is
negatively charged, the water being positive will draw down or attract
the twig, hence the downward movement. If on the other hand, he is
surcharged with electricity, or positive, the positive electricity of
the water will repel the other, and the twig will bend upwards. The
movements of the twig may thus be accounted for, but, comparatively, so
little is known or understood of the marvellous influences and workings
of electricity that it is impossible to be dogmatic on the question.

[Illustration: SIR HUGH NELSON AT WINTON BORE. 1895.]

The forks of the twig should be held lightly between the second and
third fingers of the hands, pressing the thumbs on the side of the twig
with just sufficient force to give the ends a slightly-outward
direction. If a person possesses the faculty, and water flows anywhere
beneath him, the twig will turn round on its ends between his fingers.
In my own case, should I hold the twig tightly over a natural
underground stream, it will bend under and round in an endeavour to
follow out the movement I have just mentioned. It will, perhaps, be
interesting to know that now I only use the twig for the purpose of
indicating the presence of streams. The faculty is so sensitive in my
hands that I can detect water if I am 20 yards away. I have found by
careful observation and study that I can far more effectively decide
upon the actual bore site by the indications which my hands give.
Holding them downwards, open, and with the palms facing, I have found
that as I approach the strongest, and therefore the most suitable, point
in the strea