Description

Algernon Blackwood's novella The Wendigo was initially released in The Lost Valley and Other Stories (Eveleigh Nash, 1910). Simpson, a divinity student, and his uncle Dr. Cathcart, an author of a book on collective hallucination, are two Scotsmen on a moose-hunting trip with guides Hank Davis and the nature-loving French "Canuck," Joseph Défago, in the forest north of Rat Portage in Northwestern Ontario. Simpson eventually succeeds in returning to the main camp, where he meets up with the others. Dr. Cathcart and Hank follow him back to continue the search for Défago, and as they set up camp once more in the bush, Défago or some repulsive impersonation of Défago appears before them before slipping away into the darkness once more. They return to the main camp feeling conflicted and frightened by what they have seen, only to discover that Défago-the actual Défago this time-has made his own way there while experiencing delirium, exposure, and frostbite. He passes away shortly after, leaving the three guys perplexed and unsure of what happened. Punk could have been the one to explain it to them, but as soon as he smelled the awful odor Défago was carrying, he ran away to his house.