116 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



neglected work, they will surreptitiously destroy 

 some of his property in revenge. The consequence 

 is, that deeds which ought to be punished go 

 unpunished. 



Many of these youths are half-witted, or are 

 mentally defective, and are quite irresponsible for 

 their deeds. One such fellow in the Summer of a recent 

 year was answerable for the death of two native 

 children, and in addition of a fellow Glasgow boy, 

 against whom, it is said, he entertained a grudge. I 

 went into the circumstances of this case, and I feel 

 inclined to agree with the impression existing 

 among the villagers, that they contained 

 some disquieting features. While, I suppose, it will 

 never be possible to say with absolute certainty, one 

 way or the other, whether the death of these three 

 children, by drowning, at eleven o'clock at night, was a 

 pure accident or not, for the natives themselves are 

 doubtful, there is no question as to the absolute 

 callousness of the dull-witted youth of eighteen or 

 nineteen years of age, who was responsible for it. 

 Neither at the time, nor since, has he shown any 

 sign of regret of any kind, for the sad deed. He passed 

 the stricken mothers and fathers whose children 

 had been lost, without the least sign of shame or 

 remorse. When those who came to the rescue had 

 succeeded in saving one child, and had spent some 

 time in a futile search for others, desired to ascertain 

 how many were in the boat, and turned to question 

 the youth who had upset it, they found he had 

 disappeared. A search for him revealed the fact 



