82 NATURAL SCIENCE. Aug., 



The hostility of the Masai, who happened to be on the war-path 

 some 9,000 strong at Naiwasha, at the time of his visit there, compelled 

 Dr. Gregory to leave that district more quickly than he wished, and 

 this prevented him from making any examination of the lake fauna. 

 He reports, however, that he found the site of a factory of stone 

 implements used by some prehistoric tribe, and has traced one of 

 their trade routes across a pass still used by some caravans. He 

 expected to leave Lake Barengo (his farthest point) by the end of 

 May, and to spend June and July exploring in the Aberdare Mountains, 

 and on and around Mount Kenia. No further news can be expected 

 of him until he reaches Brindisi on his return journey, about the end 

 of September, for it is more than likely that he will miss the outward 

 mail from Mombasa at the end of August. Save for a chill, caught 

 while crossing a river, Dr. Gregory's health since he left the coast 

 has been excellent. 



" Borderland." 



Mr. W. T. Stead has sent us a circular containing information 

 about his new Quarterly, Bordevland, and a letter asking our views on 

 the subject, as we are among those " whose opinion weighs much 

 with the public," and from whom may be sought " such wise words 

 of guidance in this new enterprise as he can collect from the most 

 eminent of his fellow men." 



It were easy to treat Mr. Stead's adventure with mere chaff or 

 with ridicule. But Mr. Stead already has exploited the credulity of 

 the public in the matter of red and blue electricity, and so competent 

 a journalist doubtless will succeed in exploiting the superstitions of 

 the class for which he caters. In this process it is " even money " that 

 many will believe in the utility of his methods, while the odds are not 

 long against his own belief in them. So he shall have our " wise 

 words." He proposes to form a series of circles of students to study 

 occult phenomena, and anyone may join a circle on payment of ten 

 shillings per annum. The occult phenomena to be studied by this 

 " veritable college of the occult sciences " are, we gather from the letter 

 and circular, " the powers of the unconscious mind, multiple per- 

 sonality, invisible intelligences with whom we may profitably enter 

 into communication, and the persistence of the individual after 

 death." 



These are questions of great interest, and the collection of data con- 

 cerning them is of first-rate importance. But the evidence of those not 

 trained to observe is misleading about the plainest occurrences : it will 

 be absolutely worthless about phenomena so complicated by subjective 

 and objective deception as these phenomena notoriously are. More 

 than one expert in some science has been attracted to the investiga- 

 tion of spiritualism and has abandoned it, because of the ensnaring 

 and degrading fraud associated with its votaries. And a college 



