The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-05-01
Description Of the Lava Beds.

Description of the Lava Beds.
The country along the line separating Cali
fornia from Oregon, in which the lava beds are
situated, has been the theatre of military oper-
ations against the Indians at different times
during the past twenty years. 1t has been
traversed BY emigrants who settled in the
neighborhood, and it is we'll and favorably
known as cattle range. With the exception
of the irregular volcanic region, south OF the
lakes, the land has been surveyed and laid out
in sections. Still very little accurate informa-
ton can be had concerning the retreat where
the Modocs have continued to defy the power
of the government. It is known, however, to
be cut up with assures, yawning abysses, lakes,
high mountains covered with snow and abound
ing with caves. The lava beds cover an area
of 100 square miles. They appear to have
been brought into existence by upheavels from
below. The roughness of the upper surface
remains, while all underneath is honeycombet.
by cracks and creYices. The largest cave is
known as Ben Wright's cave, which is said to
contain fifteen acres of open space under
ground, in which there is q good spring and
many openings through which man can
crawl, the main entrance being about the size
of common window. In this cave 1t Is un-
derstood Jack and his followers have fortified
themselves. The gulches and crevices range
from few feet to one hundred feet in width,
and many of them are one hundred feet deep.
The Indians can travel through these lava beds
by trails only known to themselves, and stand
on bluffs over persons fifty yards beneath, and
where it would require long journey to go to
them. They can see men coming at 8 distance
of five miles, without being visible themselves.
They also can permit their pursuers to come
within a few feet of the bluff and shoot down
and retire, if necessary, to other similar bluffs.
If pressed too closely, the Indians can drop
into crevices entirely inaccessible. to troops,
and follow some subterranean passage, with
which they are fully acquainted, and gain an
other ambush from which it would cost ten
lives to dislodge them. 1t is represented that
the Modocs can shoot from the top of cliffs
without exposing an inch of their persons. In
the lava beds are a number of small plots
abundantly supplied with bunch grass which
cattle find by long and circuitous trails The
only thing the Modocs lack is ammunition.
Those who visited the military headquarters
during the past few months, were detected on
several occasions stealing cartridges, and even
some of the women were caught in the act.
The troops are we'll posted, so as to prevent the
Indians escaping. Their only line of retreat
would seem to be in southerly direction into
the Pitt River Mountains. The tribes in that
quarter are of warlike character and have given
the government considerable trouble in times
past. In 1853 and 1859, their ambushes were
so effective and their manner of warfare 30
advantageous, that at first very little progress
was made in reducing them to submission.
The Pitt River savages when pressed closely,
would take their canoes and paddle 10 the is
lands in the lakes, where they could not be
followed. After much care aud trouble, several
boats were built and transferred across the lava
beds, and the Indians were cut off from these
hiding places. One of the latest measures Of
precaation taken by General Candy was to
place boats on Tule Lake.
The troops, in pursueing the Modocs, have
to follow them on foot, and in passing through
the gulches and crevices, must expect to find
the enemy on the high bluffs above them at
every point, or making their way through con-
cealed passages to secure retreat. The cannon
and howitzer command all approaches to and
from the cave. Five hundred hand grenades
arrived last week at Van Bremers, and the
supply of shot and she'll is ample for prolonged
operations. There is no Disgusting the serious
difficulties that Col. Gillem has to encounter.
The Modocs know ever nook and corner IN the
lava beds, and will, of course, seek to find safe
ty in fight. It would be very unfortunate,
indeed, if they succeed in efecting junction
with the Pitt River Mountain.
The peculiar feature of the lake country in
California resembles the County Antrim, in
Ireland, in which is located the celebrated
Giants Causeways. The scientific interest
of the latter is enhanced by the beauty of its
terraced formations and its great richness and
variety of coloring. Like the lava beds, the
basalt is from three hundred to FIVE hundred
feet in thickness and like them, too, the pill
lars, caves, wells, &C., in the Giants Cause
way, appear to be the result Of some great
convulsion of nature, an upheaval equa! to the
effect of the explosion of vast quantities of
placed underneath the surface.
Miners have not, heretofore, explored the lava
beds, but after the cases of Jack and bis tribe
are disposed of by the troops, no doubt there
will be thorough examination of this volcsn.
ic tract, which will always remain identified
with a piece of very black Indian perfdy.-
Nc,o York Herald.