Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-05-23
New Light Concerning the Origin
of the MOdOc War.
The Way the Indians Live.
The Condition or the Country, and the
Avenues OF Escape. -s8

| fS4Sss 81
The Condition or the Country, and tn.
4 Avenues or Escape.
4 @ai 4a# 8t 5s---s-c s---- sH4 t4ss8
The Board Of Indian Commissioners. whicl
assembled m New York on the 22d ultim
for the purpose of opening bids for furnisl,
4 ing certain supplies to the various India
tribes. was interviewed hya Herald Rep. rte
and the result published We SUMMARY
some OF the more interesting details elicite
i regard to the Modocs, who are just no,
engaging large share OF ptiblic attention.
1t will make pleasant reading also III the ab
Isence ofany stirring events in this neighbor
Il hood. Mr.. Thos. X. Cree, the Secretary o
the Board. states that one year ago, whel
they We're more numerous than they are nov
there We're, according to actual count, 25
Modoc E'dians all told, warriors, squaws an,
papooscs. At that time, out of the who'll
number. there were about 20 warriors able t,
i fight, and no more. The lava beds, which q RI
the home and country of tho Modocs. are
hundred miles square, and 10000 Unitet
States troops could nos surround them, no
prevent the escape of the warriors ,intle
Captain Jack, who is familiar with all the
passes and places of concealment. Thes,
beds have never been explored by white mel
but the Indians have Travelled them Hundreds
of times. They arc full Of streams, in which
fine fish abounds, and there are excellen
grazing tracts where the Modocs concea
their beef cattle, stolen from the neighbori,se
ranches before and since the fight begun
The causes leading to the murder of Genera
Candy and the others are thus accounted fol
by Mr.. Cree: Captain jacks father was one
of a party Of eighteen Modocs who came III
under flag Of truce to the camp OF Captain
Benjamin Wright. Sehonchin's father was
also among the party. and while the Medocs
| were all at dinner with the whites they were
treacherously murdered by Captain Wright's
command. Captain Jack. Is father aud Scilon
| chin's father fell among the rests This occur
red in 1862 jack was then d tall lad of eigll-
teen, and he then determined to seek ven
geanee for his fathers blood One day Cap.
Wright was killed by an unknown Modoc.
who was afterwards found ahd hanged for
the act. He confessed finally to hayi.g killed
Wright. E, s3.@.as ssh..Hl.sa384. sal3
The Warm Spring Indians, our allies in the
war. are brave.tribe. eighty of whom are
under command of Donald Mckay, hall
breed, but a well educated man. They have
hitherto been fighting the Snake Ikdians.
who nu.nber..about a thousand persons OF
both sexes in California, aud owing TO the
fact that the Warm Spring Indians are now
in pursuit Of the. Modoel, there IS considcra-
ble danger that the Snakes may join the Mo-
doc warriors for the sake Of repaying their
old enemies. The country of the latter
tribe is two hundred miles from the lava bed.
The Snakes are in reali branch of the
Shoshones. There are about 1000 Of them
in Oregon. gs Ae 7usa8
If the Modoes chould be compelled, or vol-
unfairly leave the lava beds, they can get liz
to some OF the valleys, or into the great
Coast Range Of mountains. where there is
nothing but trail which could only be fol-
lowed by praetised hunters or Indians; and
IN these mountains not even Infantry, let
alone cavalry or artillery, could pursue! The
mountains are full Of streams, in which are
plentiful supplies Of fish, easily caught. Or
if they clluose to stay in the lava beds, there
is lots OF water To be had, even there. The
Klamath Indians, who are uniriendly to the
Modocs, number about $500. Mr.. Cree'th
this terrible business grew out OF the CIR
cumstahces already related, in reference to
Captain WIight's conduct. and lattcrly their
forcible removal from their reservation on
Lost River, which, though only six miles
square, was amply sufficient to meet their
wants. The people Of Yreka advised Jack
not to leave the reservation. and letters from
ci izens OF that place were found upo, the
Mo,loes, one Of which was from Capt. jacks
lawyer in Yreka. advising him to stay where
he was, and rot be displaced.
Ore member Of the board, on being asked
his opi.iion as to the war, hoped thatit would
lead to the extermination Of the whole tribe. |
Gen. Candy, whom they brutally murdered,
was as noble man as ever lived.
i In conclusion, it may be stated tina. the
are appointed for the purpose |
If purchasing and transmitting the supplies
or the Indians provided for by treaties and
lets of Cong oress, and in no sense to be con- |
idered Peace Commissioners. Il foi84