“Notes of these experiments were taken immediately on my return to New York.”—Owen’s “Debatable Land,” p. 345.
III.
SEEING THE RAPS.
“It was during an evening session at Mr. Underhill’s, February 22, 1860. Besides Mr. and Mrs. Underhill, Kate Fox, and myself, there were present Mr. Underhill’s aged father and mother; venerable examples of the plain, primitive Quakers, both of whom took the deepest interest in the proceedings.
“By request, through the raps, the gas was extinguished and we joined hands.
“Very soon lights were seen floating about the room, apparently phosphorescent. At first they were small, just visible, but gradually they became larger, attaining the size and general outline of hands; but I could not distinguish any fingers. These lights usually showed themselves first behind and between Leah and Kate, near the floor. Then they rose; sometimes remaining near Leah’s head, sometimes near her sister’s. One of them was nearly as large as a human head. None of these touched me, though one approached within a few inches. Another made circles in the air just above our heads. After floating about for a brief space, they usually seemed to return either to Leah or Kate.
“While the hands of the circle remained joined, I looked under the table[15] and saw lights, as many as ten or twelve times, on or near the floor, and moving about. Once, while I was looking intently at such a light, about as large as a small fist, it rose and fell, as a hammer would with which one was striking against the floor. At each stroke a loud rap was heard in connection. It was exactly as if an invisible hand held an illuminated hammer and pounded with it. Then, desiring conscious proof of what I saw was not by human agency, I asked mentally, ‘Will the Spirit strike with that light three times?’ which was done forthwith; and then, after an interval, repeated.
“When, a second time, the light was seen and I was noticing the corresponding sounds, some one said, ‘Can you make it softer?’
“Almost instantly I saw the light diminish and strike the floor, at intervals, with a soft and muffled sound, just distinguishable.”—“Debatable Land,” p. 348.