. Tompkins, who came the
following day. He cut a forked stick out of the hedge, and
having placed it over the well, said, 'There is no water here,'
but found a slight spring within 10 feet, too small to be of any
service, he reported. He walked all over the field, and said he
had not come across any spring at all. However, in the extreme
corner of the field, a bunch of nettles was growing, and he
entered this, and instantly exclaimed--'Here it is; and a good
head of water, too! Not running away, but just ready for
tapping, and as soon as you strike it, it will come surging up.'
'How deep?' 'Not over 25 feet.' He cut out a turf to indicate
the spot, and we commenced sinking next day. The person employed
was an old well-sinker, and he came to me two or three times
whilst engaged in sinking, showing specimens of the soil or
marl, assuring me there never was water where such existed, and
it was worse than useless to go further. I told him to go on if
he had to get to New Zealand--it was my money, and he need not
regard me nor my pocket. When he had gone about 22 feet, his
pickaxe tapped the spring and the water came up like a fountain,
and at such a rate he feared he should be drowned before he
could get pulled up--his mates being away! The water rose
rapidly to within 12 or 15 inches of the surface. We put in
pumps and kept the water down whilst he went a little deeper,
but the rush of water was such that we had to desist going
lower. Since then we have had a splendid supply....
CHAS. MAGGS."[57]

II. Mr. John Mullins and Mr. H. W. Mullins, father and son, Colerne,
Chippenham, Wilts.

Mr. Mullins, sen., who died rather more than ten years ago, was for
thirty years engaged all over Great Britain and Ireland in finding water
by means of the divining rod. He was a professional well-sinker. His
sons carry on their father's business. One of them, Mr. H. W. Mullins,
inherits his fathers faculty.

Cases Nos. 62 and 63 in Professor Barrett's Report illustrate the powers
of both father and son.

Mr. E.G. Allen writes:--

"HIGHFIELD, METHERINGHAM
LINCOLN, _March_ 25, 1893.

"Having frequently availed myself of Mr. John Mullins' services
during the last twenty years, I can say I have never known