Publisher's Synopsis
n the wilderness north of Rat Portage in Northwestern Ontario, two Scotsmen - divinity student Simpson and his uncle, Dr. Cathcart, an author of a book on collective hallucination - are on a moose-hunting trip with guides Hank Davis and the wilderness-loving French "Canuck," Joseph Defago. While their Indian cook, Punk, stays to tend the main camp, the others split up into two hunting-parties; Dr. Cathcart goes with Hank, while Defago guides Simpson in a canoe down the river to explore the vast territory beyond. Simpson and Defago make camp, and it soon becomes clear that Defago senses - or thinks he senses - some strange and fearful odour on the wind. That night, Simpson wakes to find Defago cowering in terror from something outside the tent. Later Defago runs off into the night, forcing Simpson to go and look for him. He follows his footprints in the snow for many miles, realising that Defago's are not the only set of tracks. The larger set of footprints are not human, and gradually it seems that Defago's own tracks have metamorphosed into smaller versions of the larger set. Eventually, both sets of tracks vanish, and Simpson thinks he hears Defago's distant voice calling out from somewhere in the sky above. Simpson finally manages to make his way back to the main camp where he is reunited with the others. Dr. Cathcart and Hank go back with him to search for Defago, and when camping once more out in the wilderness, Defago - or some hideous parody of Defago - appears before them before vanishing once again into the night.
