These giants, as far as I can learn, reside somewhere about the North Pole. And even at this day, [they] frequently pay their unwelcome visits, but which, however, are attended with a complete fright only.
It seems also that they delegate their power to the Indians occasionally. And this occasions that cannibalism which is produced or proceeds rather from a sort of distemper much resembling maniaism.
[Habits and Types of Wetiko]
There are three sorts or kinds that I know of, and believe there are no more. The first I have already related as above, and the two I am going to give you are sometimes compounded together and sometimes independent. But they are both equally true and melancholy and distressing in whatever light we may view them. However, I shall not pretend by any means to palm all that is said about them upon you as true. Of this you'll by and bye be able to judge as well as myself, and not doubt.
[Those Driven to Cannibalism by Starvation]
The first of these are such as are driven to this dreadful extremity by starvation. In all woody countries where the inhabitants lead a wandering, roving life and whose subsistence depends upon the game they procure, they must of necessity be frequently pinched and sometimes brought very low. All people cannot bear this privation alike. And though there is perhaps not a people in this world who take this so patiently as these people do, yet there are not wanting instances where, even with them, that nature gives way. They vanish as a dying candle.
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 ...........