The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-05-15
THE MODERN LEONIDAs.

THE MODERN LEONIDAS.
A visit to the Camp of Capt. Jack-A will,
| RetreatIThe King and his Cabinet, Scar
Faced Charley, Ishack-NastY Jim an
| Hooker Jim. ml,...AJii}5. sdi i,9AIat OF ~
| The correspondent of the San Fran
cisco, Chronicle writes from the Mo
doc camp :liiA n9IaiaEsa eos = .z5-z
The principal portion of the cam
is situated in a huge opening or wild
ening of the ravIne, of perhaps al
| acre" in area. On all sides of ihi
opening, which seems more like
huge wash bowl thar nything else
the natural wall rises a hundred fee
or more but it is easily scaled, for th'
| inner side is Inclined, and the =rocki
are sharp and jut out all over it.A
Once in this basin, there is but one
way out, and that is by the trail W.
entered. There are other ways out,
but they are by tunnels leading to thu
many caves or sinkholes in another
part of the lava bed, and which will
be more fully described tprther. On
the outside of this basin there is 8
succession of ridges as high as thai
which encloses il, but these do moi
extend all the way-around. To the
west of, the table is a fiat, table-hke
surface of lava, extending from the
very summit OF its rim clear back for
more than mile. In this level place
are the sinkholes or caves formed
thousands OF years ago, perhaps IN
the cooling of this immense body OF
motion earth. The openings of the
holes are very small, indeed one does
not see them until he has almost fall
en- in. But they widen as they go
down, and their sides being sloping,
one can pick his way to the bottom
without difficulty. Most of these
caves are connected with ia each
other and with the. larger basin by
subterranean passages, so that one can
go for half mile in the bed without
coming to the surface at all. This is
of incalculable benefit i'll defending
the stronghold, for one man can keep
one hundred at bay almost anywhere
in it, without fear of being smoked
out or having his retreat cut off. ass
b After supper, which, by the way,
was shared with keen relish by
about a dozen naked Indian babies,
Bogus Charley came and said n he
would conduct us to Captain Jack
So the whole party gathered up their
blankets and folio we'd. Charley led
the way right up one side of the ba-
sin, through a trail not easy of ascent
by unpracticed feet, and across the
level place about fifty yards, when we
came suddenly to the mouth of pit
hole at least forty feet-deep. The hcle
Inclined as it led downward, and at
the bottom widened and formed a
perfect cave, extending under the rock
at least. AT the mouth of the cave
proper, but yet thirty OR forty feet be-
low the surface, a piece of canvas was
stretched. fi,..fa.t ..sil ..l....,..si43 lii "a.
This was Capt. Jacks front door,
and the cave behind it was his abiding
place-the palace of the Modoc king.
Behind the canvas we could see
bright fire burning, and nearly the
whole tribe encircled around it ready
for the talk, which they knew was to
come The descent into the cave was
somewhat perilous. but by careful
clinging to the rocks and careful step
ping we managed to reach the canyas.
Then, throwing that back, we stood
in the presence of Capt. Jack. 1t was
easily seen that he was sick. His eyes
were dull, dcheeks eInaciated, and he
was so weak he could not stand, but
remained reclining on huge pile of
bearskins, with his two wives by his
side. MIR. Steele went up to him and
shook hsnds warmly, as did the rest
of the party. Then, passing COM
pletely around the circle, all shook
hands with the entire tribe. This GER
emony lasted several minutes, and,
when finished, we were furnished
seats in the. circle near Capt. Jack
The only wood in the lava bed is sage
bush, but, this was piled on the fire
with an unsparing hand, and the
flames shot upward and illuminated
the cave brilliantly. Then each MEM
ber, of our party, lighted his pipe, and
after taking a Whit OF two, passed it
around to the right, beginning with
Capt. Jack, who took a. Whit and
passed it on to the next, and so .op.--
In such q large circle, of course, one
pipe full would not go round, and so,
when it got smoked ont, they did not
hesitate TO bring il back to be refilled,
and then send it on to complete its
Journey During this ceremony not a
word was spoken by any person, aud
80 the correspondent had abundant
time to take good look at the saw
ages. Capt. Jack was the central fig
ure and attracted most attention. lie
is a stern, dignitied man, not over
thirty, though he looks older. lie has
u good head, though, like all Indians,
the forehead is low. His complexion
is dark, the pure copper color, and
his eyes are black, full and piercing.7-.
His hair is long, hanging down to his
shoulders, aud he is, of course, desti-
tute of all beard. His mouth is large,
and its shape indicates firmness, de-
termination, and a great deal of char
acter. He was very glad TO see Steele,
but he did not show it by his manner.
When he shook hands it was with
an indifference that, TO one unac-.
quainted with the Indian character,,
would seem to be absolute rudeness.
He was dressed in hickory shirt, aud
was covered with blankets. Scar
faced Charley, the next most noted
one in the tribe, has Jewish cast OF
countenance, his nose being long and
and his face thin and mar
row. He has terrible scar on his
right cheek, which. but for his natu-
rally pleasant expression, would make
his countenance rather rcpulsive, He
is about thirty-five years old, and is
regarded as the bravest Indian in the
tribe. But enough has been written
of his exploits. He was polite to his