34 LE JEUNE AND THE HUNTERS. j 1633-34. 



then hissing like a serpent, then striking his drum 

 on the groimd as if in a frenzy, then leaping up, 

 raving about the wigwam, and calling on the 

 women and children to join him in singing. Now 

 ensued a hideous din ; for every throat was strained 

 to the utmost, and all were beating with sticks or 

 fists on the bark of the hut to increase the noise, 

 with the charitable object of aiding the sorcerer to 

 conjure down his malady, or drive away the evil 

 spirit that caused it. 



He had an enemy, a rival sorcerer, whom he 

 charged with having caused by charms the disease 

 that afflicted him. He therefore announced that 

 he should kill him. As the rival dwelt at Gaspe, 

 a hundred leagues off, the present execution of the 

 threat might appear difficult; but distance was no 

 bar to the vengeance of the sorcerer. Ordering 

 all the children and all but one of the women to 

 leave the wigwam, he seated himself, with the 

 woman who remained, on the ground in the cen- 

 tre, while the men of the party, together with 

 those from other wigwams in the neighborhood, 

 sat in a ring around. Mestigoit, the sorcerer's 

 brother, then brought in the charm, consisting of 

 a few small pieces of wood, some arrow-heads, a 

 broken knife, and an iron hook, which he wrapped 

 in a piece of hide. The woman next rose, and 

 walked around the hut, behind the company. 

 Mestigoit and the sorcerer now dug a large hole 

 with two pointed stakes, the whole assembly sing- 

 ing, drumming, and howling meanwhile with a 

 deafening uproar. The hole made, the charm. 



