The Witch and The Wiseman

By Randolph C. Nyce

This novel unfolds in the homeland of the Haisla people during the 1940s, where a disturbing mystery begins to unfold. Without explanation, children of the Haisla community start to vanish, plunging the people into fear and confusion. In response to their plight, the R.C.M.P. in Victoria, B.C. dispatches an officer to Haisla territory for investigation. Accompanying him are a tracking dog and a formidable fighting dog. However, this mission takes a tragic turn when they are later found deceased in the forests surrounding Haisla land.

The narrative then follows my grandfather, known in English as James Clarkson and in our native tongue as Uhbadee, and my son, William. Together, they unravel the chilling truth: a witch has been abducting the Haisla children. Through courage and determination, my son and grandfather locate where the children are being held. Leading a group of brave men, they embark on a daring rescue mission to save the children and confront the malevolent force threatening their community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jun 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798891552272

Randolph C. Nyce

Randolph C. Nyce is of Indigenous descent of the Haisla band or tribe. He is one of the chiefs of the Beaver Clan. Chief GWASACHS. He was born on March 16th, 1949.  

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About the Author

Randolph C. Nyce is of Indigenous descent of the Haisla band or tribe. He is one of the chiefs of the Beaver Clan. Chief GWASACHS. He was born on March 16th, 1949.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my mother, Laura Williams, who has always been my biggest supporter.

Copyright Information ©

Randolph C. Nyce 2024

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Nyce, Randolph C.

The Witch and The Wiseman

ISBN 9798891552265 (Paperback)

ISBN 9798891552272 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024904880

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

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Chapter 1

Day of Darkness

This day was looking promising of warmth and sunshine. It had already been a very good summer for us, and it was only mid-July, with a couple of summer months still to come.

As usual, my children Karen and William had slept late and were just now coming downstairs for breakfast. My daughter Karen had just turned twelve over a month ago; she had been born in June of 1934. My son William, a couple of years younger than Karen, was ten years old. Unfortunately, they had lost their mother to tuberculosis a few years ago. So, the last few years have been especially trying for both my children, but it really showed how resilient children can be.

As we sat eating our breakfast, we discussed what the plans were for that day, and it was no surprise to me that their plans were to go swimming in the ocean at high tide. The children liked to swim in an area that we called The Bay. The reason that they liked to swim there was because of the outcropping of rock that protruded out into the ocean and protected The Bay from the prevailing south winds. No matter how rough the ocean got, it was always calm in the bay. The bay was at the south end of our village, and it was distanced from the main village. The only way to get there was through a narrow trail about three-quarters a mile from the main village.

So, about 2 p.m. that afternoon, I gave my children a hug and instructed them to be careful as they left for the bay. The reason that I had asked them to be careful is that the more adventurous of the children liked to swim in an area they named The Octopus Bed. Why they had named it that, I don’t know. However, the Octopus Bed was not protected by the outcropping of rock and was open to the wind and rough waves. I know the reason for doing this because, believe it or not, I was a child once and had liked swimming in the waves.

The rest of the day for me I spent puttering around the house, tending to whatever needed to be done. I had a large pile of my winter’s supply of firewood; every once in a while, I would split a few blocks and pile it in my woodshed. Although it was too warm to start my wood stove, we would need water to be heated so my children could bathe in our old galvanized tub. We didn’t have the luxury of having fresh water for both of them, so they would have to take turns and share the same water; I knew that