Tratling the Witch Killers
of the Frozen North

*
By

Peele a. GODSELL
eRe Ges:

Author of: Arctic Trader; Romance
of the Alaska Highway, etc.

*

EAR AND STARVATION
EF stalked amongst the wigwams of

the Saulteaux. On a spruce bed*

in one of the birchbark lodges lay
young Sapwaste, raving in delirium;
possessed, said old Pecequan, the aged
medicine man, with evil spirits—
liable at any moment to become a
cannibal weetigo and endanger the
lives of every member of the band.

Few young squaws in the tribe had
been as popular as Sapwaste, whose
good looks, flashing white teeth, and
ready smile had endeared her to
young and old alike. Eagerly she’d
been sought after by the young
bucks, but it had remained for the
son of Pecequan to lead her to his
wigwam.

Late that fall the Miqua mapin, or
Red Sucker band of the Saulteaux
tribe, had obtained their fur debts
from Factor Campbell at his palisaded
fort at Island Lake, loaded up their
birchbarks and paddled eastward to
their Sandy Lake hunting grounds.
Then Sapwaste had fallen ill. No
longer did her silvery laughter en-
liven the evenings around the lodge
fires. Instead, she lapsed into delirium
and strange words came tumbling
from her lips. For days old Pecequan
howled his medicine song and rattled
his she-she-quon. Still she raved on in
delirium.

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brought to justice.”

“The medicine murderers of Sandy Lake must be
Those were the orders of Ser-
geant “Daisy” Smith. Herein the writer, who was

at Norway House at the time, tells the answer—an
epic of dauntless courage where two Mounttes faced
a horde of outlaw Indians.

iat

Philip H. Godsell, the author, heard the story

of the killings told by Factor Campbell from

Island Lake Post, and later was present at the

trial of the killers. He also visited Sandy Lake,

scene of the killings and traded at the nearest

post to Island Lake in the heart of the Ojtb-
way hunting grounds.

Deep in the forest Pecequan built
himself a conjuring lodge of poles
and moose skins and prepared to con-
sult the manitous.

In all the panoply of his priestcraft
Pecequan entered the medicine lodge.

Beady eyes glinting twixt narrowed
lids, Niska tied the medicine man’s
hands and feet with rawhide lines,
squatted outside and beat his tom-
tom.

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She Must Die

From above came a sound like
rushing wind. Dimly through the
darkened sky echoed a squeaky ani-
mal voice. Questions were asked and
answered in the squeaky spirit voice.
Dripping with perspiration, and freed
of his bonds, Pecequan staggered into
the open and interpreted the message
of the manitous. Sapwaste was
possessed of evil spirits—she’d become
a weetigo. She must die!

With his grey-haired brother, Chief
Mistainninew, Pecequan took over
the sick girl’s lodge. Two tawny
braves, Angus Rae and Norman
Fiddler, were chosen as executioners.

Preparations were short and simple.
Each was to stand on opposite sides of
the lodge, grab the cord that dangled
through holes in the bark walls, and
when the medicine drum throbbed
within pull with all their might. That
Sapwaste was the daughter-in-law of
the medicine man meant nothing.
Tribal laws decreed that she must die.

The drum throbbed out its macabre
warning. The braves tugged on the
writhing cords. From within came
sounds of convulsive struggles. ‘The
drum-beat ceased and, their dusky
faces pale with fear, the hunters cast
down the cord like a thing accursed
and dived into their wigwams. From
behind the bole of a pine Sapwaste’s

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