But others cannot stand it out so long; they must have something to eat, be it what it may. Sometimes, though with the most extreme reluctance at first, they feed upon the flesh of such as _have died_. Any kind of animal substance, at such times, must come very grateful to the stomack. And hence it is, I believe, that those who have once preyed upon their fellows ever after feel a great desire for the same nourishment. And [they] are not so scrupulous about the means of procuring it. I have seen several that had been reduced [to] this distressing alternative. And though [it be] many years after, there appeared to me a wildness in their eyes, a confusion in their countenances much resembling that of reprieved murderers. Now, if we consider how very precarious their mode of subsistance is, how devoted they are to superstition and prejudice, we--such of _us_ as know more about them--we, I say, may wonder how they stand out so well. Very many instances I have known seem to be far beyond the power of human nature to stand. Yet, notwithstanding this dreadful privation lasts not for a few days, but even to weeks and months, during all of which time the men are out from star-light to star-light and have never anything more to _eat_ than some bits of leather, moss, bark and such like, it is very rare they will kill a _fellow_ to live upon him. This is not universal. There are unfortunately still too many exceptions, but these again would seem as denounciations from their gods. They appear so to me--I can scarcely doubt it! And the Indians themselves seem to think the same, though in another way. At this place where I am now writing (Lac La Ronge, English River), but a few years back, several instances occurred. An old canadian is said to have lost one of his sons thus, though an excellent hunter. The old man sometimes speaks to me of that son. And the second died on his way to the house, and not far off. The same year an Indian killed all his family but two daughters whom he compelled to partake with him, and for the rest of the route he ........... I shall here give you a few stories of the kind. [Story of a Wetiko Woman] _That_ same year (I do not know precisely when, but only a few years back) a woman alone arrived at the house. Her appearance was haggard, wild, and distressed. However, she was taken into _the_ house. Questions [were] put as usual, but the answers [were] vague, indefinite and contradictory. They handed her something to eat. She acted as if eating it indeed, but let the whole fall in the _inside_ of her gown. This [roused] suspicion. But what added to this was the extraordinary stench she emitted from the heat of the chimney. And shortly after her entrance a part of a human shoulder [was found]. The dogs brought [it] in from upon her road. She went off, being directed upon a road leading to a camp not far off.