BOOK II.

39

bush grows above a vein. Others use a different kind of twig for each metal,when they are seeking to discover the veins, for they employ hazel twigsfor veins of silver ; ash twigs for copper ; pitch pine for lead and especiallytin, and rods made of iron and steel for gold. All alike grasp the forks ofthe twig with their hands, clenching their fists, it being necessary that theclenched fingers should be held toward the sky in order that the twig shouldbe raised at that end where the two branches meet. Then they wanderhither and thither at random through mountainous regions. It is saidthat the moment they place their feet on a vein the twig immediately turnsand twists, and so by its action discloses the vein ; when they movetheir feet again and go away from that spot the twig becomes once moreimmobile.

The truth is, they assert, the movement of the twig is caused by thepower of the veins, and sometimes this is so great that the branches of treesgrowing near a vein are deflected toward it. On the other hand, thosewho say that the twig is of no use to good and serious men, also deny thatthe motion is due to the power of the veins, because the twigs will not movefor everybody, but only for those who employ incantations and craft. More-over, they deny the power of a vein to draw to itself the branches of trees,but they say that the warm and dry exhalations cause these contortions.Those who advocate the use of the twig make this reply to these objections :when one of the miners or some other person holds the twig in his hands,and it is not turned by the force of a vein, this is due to some peculiarityof the individual, which hinders and impedes the power of the vein, for sincethe power of the vein in turning and twisting the twig may be not unlikethat of a magnet attracting and drawing iron toward itself, this hiddenquality of a man weakens and breaks the force, just the same as garlicweakens and overcomes the strength of a magnet. For a magnet smearedwith garlic juice cannot attract iron; nor does it attract the latter whenrusty. Further, concerning the handling of the twig, they warn us thatWe should not press the fingers together too lightly, nor clench them toofirmly, for if the twig is held lightly they say that it will fall before the force°f the vein can turn it; if however, it is grasped too firmly the force of thebands resists the force of the veins and counteracts it. Therefore, theyconsider that five things are necessary to insure that the twig shall serve*ts purpose : of these the first is the size of the twig, for the force of theveins cannot turn too large a stick ; secondly, there is the shape of the twig,which must be forked or the vein cannot turn it; thirdly, the power of thevein which has the nature to turn it; fourthly, the manipulation of the twig;fifthly, the absence of impeding peculiarities. These advocates of the twigsum up their conclusions as follows : if the rod does not move for every-body, it is due to unskilled manipulation or to the impeding peculiarities°f the man which oppose and resist the force of the veins, as we said above,and those who search for veins by means of the twig need not necessarily makeincantations, but it is sufficient that they handle it suitably and are devoidof impeding power ; therefore, the twig may be of use to good and serious