Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-28

Graphic Description OF the Lava
Beda by one of GEN. Shcridnn's
STAR.
Mr.. MacFeeIey, of General Sheridan S
staff, who has seen considerable service
in Northern California and Southern
Oregon, among the lava beds and in
their vicinity, was called upon Monday
by reporter Of the Chicago Inter
Ocean, and gave some information in
regard to them and their present inhabi-
tants which has not hitherto been pub
lished.
Major" said our reporter, encounter
ing the gentleman at his office on Wa
bash avenue, II understand you have
some acquaintance with the lava beds.
Yes, / have been among them, and,
in fact, all over that country"
What sort of country is 1t out
there2'
tits a God forsaken country for any
body to live in, that is, in the lava beds,
but there is good land on the outside Of
them. The beds where Captain Jack is
now, or was few days ago, are probably
from sixty to seventy-fve miles square
and lie Just south of the Oregon line,
near Tule Lake."
Anywhere near the Cascade range
of mountains2"
swell, you might say they are on a
spur of the Cascades, but they are west
Of the range. OF to the west is the
Coast range, and, to tell the truth, the
country is almost all mountain and val
lev everywhere around them. 1t is a
Wild country. The lava beds were caused
by volcanic convulsions, The trap rock
has been violently thrown up while
heated, and as it cooled large caverns
we're formed in some places, in knobs
and various fantastic forms.
"It could easily be defended? y
"Yes; it is natural fortihcation, al.
most impregnable. One man could
hold it against ten, if he knew what he
was about, and if it became warm Tor
him there are dozen of lines of retreats
through these lines of caves.
"Is there any vegetation in these lava
beds2
"They are totally destitute Of yegeta;
tion-nothing but these odd forms OF
the upheaVed rock, and occasionally q
small body Of water Taken as a whole,
il is about the widest and most desolate
region / have ever SEEN
"How about Captain Jack escape, II
he wished to leave?"
"He would have no trouble at all in
leaving. He might leave half dozen
men there to keep up appearances, and
be oG 10 the mountains with the rest OF
his band days before any one outside
knew anything about if. And that is
what think he will do on hGg done
already. You can't surround the whole
bed, and if any place is left open he
could very easily make his way tolt.
"If he was shut in moderately close
how could he get proyisiq4sT ,
81 think he is pretty well proyisioped
now. You could take whole herds OF
cattle in there and keep them in the
valleys or underground passages in per
feet safety. 1t is my opinion that that
is what he has done already"
Have you ever had any experience
with the Modocs2"
"I hays had some.
Are they very wild as a rule? :"
'Some Of them are what might be
called decent Indians, but this band OF
Captain Jacks is the worse lot Of In
dians that ever got together. They are
all half civilized and speak pretty good
English. They learned it from hanging
around the settlements. The tribe that
Captain Jack leads is made up OF the
worst kind of thieves, murderers and
desperadoes, who have gathered IN from
different parts Of that section Of country
when the places they left got too hot for
them. Ihave never seen Captain Jack,
but have seen some of his band, and a
more desperate, blood-thirsty gang Of
cut.throats / never saw in my life. If he
gets out of the lava beds and reaches the
mountains it will be impossible to reach
him. The gang will scatter, and you
might not fnd half dozen Of them in a
year" fatLL