118 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



that part went under, filled and sank." All the 

 occupants went under, except the Glasgow parish 

 youth who was answerable for the accident. He 

 apparently knew the art of floating, and remained 

 on his back until a second rescue boat picked him up. 

 Only one of the four other children was saved. 



Now I would like to ask Dr. Cobbett a question. 

 What influence is there in civilisation generally, or in 

 the example of the very cautious natives of this island, 

 that can be accounted answerable for the manifesta- 

 tion of the utter recklessness which I have just 

 described, or for the exhibition of that equally utter 

 callousness which this youth exhibited after the 

 committal of this deed ? There is nothing whatever. 

 Every external influence, every social idea, every 

 convention of life is dead against them both. This 

 youth did what he did because of his defective nature. 

 And to rear him in health at the expense of better 

 citizens, in the hope that because our society has given 

 up or does not now entertain ^^cannibalistic desires," 

 and, that therefore, though inherent cannibals be 

 among us, they will fall smoothly into line with non- 

 cannibaUstic citizens, is simply to disregard the 

 plainest facts of life, and to rear persons who, born 

 with innate qualities opposed to the prevailing 

 environment, will none the less manifest them. 



But I will take Dr. Cobbett yet a stage farther 

 into the consideration of what I cannot but help 

 regarding as a remarkable plea. In this island 

 there are two brothers of the fellow who caused 

 the drowning disaster. Both of them are half-witted, 



