Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-26


them The Nsdocs. With Indian con
rirR. seok advantage Of every obstacle
20 hide their trail. SVarnpe. rocks ana
grassy spots vefe used in vain Ocoa
sionAily the trail voald be lost, bat soor
the pecaliar yell Of the pars1er voalG
be heard 40 be found anew the usccszr
track Of the fetrestInR Indian Daring
this exciting chase u tie Aodoc men
women and children, their p1rssers be
ina mounted on horseback and armed
With carbines and pistols. the women 10
some instances esrrisd the smaller chill.
dre1 on their backs while the larger one<
followed on foot
At noon ve carrs to the place vhers
they had camped tie night before, and
the pursuit vas renewed With vieor
Their destination was differently sur
missed; some thinking that they were
making for LaneelPs valley, Drev's val
ley or Q7isax reservation. After mile,
Of riding over ground 90 rough that tn,
feet OF the horses rarely touched th,
ground, the Indians were overtaksu
They had taken refuge among the rock,
! upon q high mesa or table land, and il
vas thoa2it that here they would fshs
This vas 3 strong place for defense
With the permission of Col. Green
vent Ia advance while the command
halted and directed Boston TO hail them
Bat they did not heed him.
Leaving this place, the Msdocs vent
across this table land, and for a time
their trail was lost. Il being late, anc
having had neither food nor water since
morning, We concluded to 90 into camp
We descended from this high land
through a rsvine, leaving a fes Warm
Springs bunting the trail Of the Modocs
We had just reached the lower land
when firing was heard from above be
tween the Indians.
Donald Mckay and l were in advance
and on the left, when We saw five men
on the high ground above Us retrsatinp
from the main body with Jack. This
table land, except where We descended
1t. had q perpendicular face more than
one hundred feet high. At the base was
mass of tumbled down rocks of basalt.
which formed Gibraltar for the No.
docs, who were hidden in its midst.
From this rocky shelter to the low
ground the distance was two hundred
yards, quite steep, and nothing in the
way OF she aim of the Modoos, should
the troops attack them.
Believing that the Indians would eur
render. | made Boston call them, and.
they having halted, went to them and
found that one was Scarfsos Charley,
l told them (the 6vs) to 60 with me to
Col. Green, bat they refused because,
as they said. the Warm Spring Indians
would kill them. No urging on my part
would avail. then asked for Jack, and
vas invited by Charley to 20 among the
rocks to zee him. AvailinR myself of
the previous permission Of Col. Green,
l went with the Indians. Upon getting
within hfty yards Of Jack 1 vas ohai-
lsuRed BY = sentinel. but he soon allowed
meto pas. found the shieftaip sittine
on . rock, white blanket around him
and Q carbine by his side. We shook
hands, but be vas very dignified sad
had little TO say. The men we're poeted
to Ore on the soldiers IL they advanced,
while the women and children Vere hid.
den amenR the rocks.
Jack, through Boston. vas urged to
give up and the hopelessness Of bis case
vas explained to him. He made nc
reply. In the meantime the rest Of the
Indians came around a. and listened
attsntivesy. Soonchin was anxious q
know If Meaeham was dead. He had
shot Meaohsm on the 11th of April. Al
this time. - sun being low and night
near at ha0, the buele sounded "a
march for camp; and the Indians, SUP.
posing that an attack was to Ls made
on them, left me alone and took theiI
places for the fiRht. l felt that l was iu
critical position. for, il the soldiers
made an attack. would be killed. Col
Green was urged BY few rash officsrs
to do this. but he refused and said: "If
l do, they will kill the Doctor" Instead
of attacking, which would have been
f0olhardy in the extreme, and caused
the death Of many officers and men
without accomplishing any good, Col,
Green marched to Langeil's ranch on
Lost River, fosr miles distant.
All that l could cay had no effect on
these people until l told them that they
would be attacked the next dav. and
besides being killed, would have theil
women and children given to the Warm
Spring Indians. This had its effect
Many had come up and joined me In
influencing Jack to surrender. They
said they would do this n the morning
! said this would net do, but Immediate
surrender must be made. The women
joined in, and all consented. Tho 70.
men. in the midst of Lamentations
commenced hunting their children, Who
we're hidden among the rocks, and hav-
ing with some difficulty found them, the
whole party left for the place whore the
troops we're supposed TO be. When ve
get TO the place, no voice could be heard
and no one seen. ALI had left. Here I
was With fifteen Modocs whose hanle
were yet stained with the blood Of ouY
men, Who bad bean killed and soslped
BY them.
II Vas nov quite dark, and, a Gre hsv.
ing been built, told them would 20
TO camp and return with some food for
them. Taking one man with me. /
started for Langell's ranch, and. After
passing over ~ rough q part OF the
country as could be found for four
miles, presented myself to the gallant
Green at 3 O'Clock pm. when ths
Colonel had heard my report, two youpc
officers made some objection 10 INV
course and thought the Indians shsuld
have been attacked. told them. beino
provoked by them, that the Agreement
could be annullea and they have all the
aRht they wanted. but I did not want to
see any more men killed.
Having been, by Col. Green's order.
given hard bread and two males, Ne
started back and reached the Indian
camp about 10 Pun. Most Of them were
asleep, as they had been worn out with
running and watching. Jack had gone
Cd short distance with two men and a
few women.
The night wore away, and, except the
deep breathing OF the Indians, nothing
disturbed me. Morning came. and ali
got ready 70 move. Jack vas not With
us-Charley said be had RON svay; be
was afraid Of the soldiers. The re-
mainder-12 men. 3 wouen aud 10
children-started with me. When a
hundred yards away. all of them left
me and vent in the direction taken by
Jack. They soon came back, having
gone to where Jack bad slept. This vas
much TO my relief, % had taken upon
myself great responsibility and would
be much censurcd IL failed. General
Davis did f1nd fault With me, though he
vas some miles away.
About am. We reached Col. Green's
headq aariers, and the prisoners were
turned over to Cast. Hasbrouck, Who
eomplimsnted me for having done suoh
signal service; having, he said, "saved
many lives which voaid have been lost
had the Indians bean attacked"
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