122 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



the transplantation of inherently vicious and criminal 

 instincts from the slums of cities to the beautiful envi- 

 ronment of the Western islands, is but re-creatingthere 

 the slums which were also made in the city by them. 

 Given bad instincts, and be the environment what it 

 may, they will manifest themselves with the same 

 certainty that the sun rises and sets alike on mountain 

 and vallev, on sea and land. 



The operation of the sentiment which I criticised 

 in my original article, but which Dr. Cobbett has 

 endeavoured to defend, is one of grave menace to 

 Society. In an island like the one with which I am 

 now dealing we can see its menace at once. It is easy 

 to take a bird's-eye view of the whole problem. There 

 we can see a peaceful and not too energetic population, 

 of honest and easy-going people, enduring the mob-rule 

 and tyranny of a lawless section, rather than put them- 

 selves to the necessary trouble of crushing the mob, 

 or running the risk of incurring stealthy and 

 underhand reprisals. Indeed, some representations, 

 I have been informed, have been made to the 

 Glasgow Parish Council but without avail. 



Among them I may mention that of a very respect- 

 able native holding a responsible position. There is 

 only one school in the island, and to this both the 

 native and Glasgow pauper children are sent. The 

 consequences are undesirable. In ways which I cannot 

 mention the pauper children are dirty and unwhole- 

 some. The bigger ones are brutal and rough. Their 

 language is foul and offensive. This native, a man 

 with a large family, quite naturally resents sending 

 his children to associate with such companions. He 



