Arizona silver belt., 1890-03-15


 be made by my little army on foot. In New Mexico General Hatch had ordered companies to render me all the assistance in their power Tn case 1 should meet with serious trouble. Our way was enlivened by the reports that from two hundred and fifty to four hundred renegades were ln the mountains in the vicinity of Ojo Cal iente waiting to give us warm re- ception, but we kept straight on as swiftly and silently as we were able to go. With my police I marched cautiously to within ten miles of the agency, then left all but 25 in hid Ing, and rode boldly in. Major Wade was to meet us there, but was de- 1ayed, perhaps by accident, perhaps by design. for the military were very jealous of the civil authorities. RAGGED.
 "At the agency 1 learned that Ge- ronlmo, with about seventy men and a number of squaws and boys, were camped about three miles away. I thought 1 would fool him, so after dark l got the remainder of my police to sneak up and hide themselves Tn the commissary building, which was fortunately empty. They were under command of Captain Buford, brave and faithful fellow. Soon after day light 1 sent word to Geronimo to come up as 1 wanted to have talk with him. He came, with all his beautiful following, warriors. squaws and all, the former in their war paint and armed to the teeth. They had shot guns, butcher knives, spears, bow and arrows, and everything in the shape of weapons that the larder afforded.
 "Geronimo and his followers came up as close as they could to me, for it IS an unwritten law with the Indians that if they can only get close enough to a white man they can frighten him by sheer ugliness, and l don't know but what they are right. l said that had come long way to speak with hlm, and that If he was careful what he said no one would get hurt He was little chagrined that I should get ahead of him in this left handed compliment, but retained 1t with the fbest grace possible
 "Then l gave the wink to my chief of police and my reserve force began to he out one by one, each five paces behind his predecessor, and on the run t9 extend a skirmish line which sur rounded the renegades on one side while deep chasm held them in on the other. -.
 At first the renegades did not mind it, but when fifteen or twenty had ap- peared and they were still coming, some ofthe Indians began to pet ner- vous and walk off. 1 told Buford to stop them. He threw up hls gun toward one of the retreating figures and commanded 1t to stop. Suddenly there was an awful yell. l thought that Buford must be stabbed. but when locked saw that an old squaw had suddenly plniened him around the arms, drawing his gun down and making it useless. 1 instlnct1vely turned around to see what Geronimo aas doing, and when I looked back again Buforas mighty right hand had launched out and the squaw was roll in the grass twenty feet away.
 OBEY OR DIE.
 "When he. ralsed his gun again there were a dozen others raised at the same time, and this time hls voice meant obey or die. Each of my police men body guard had his man picked out, and one shot would have been followed by many I believe that the old squaw prevented bloody battle, for by this time my skIrmish line had grown portentiouS, and the renegadeS saw that they were in our power. I then said we could talk better without cur arms, and after throwing away my hunting knife 1 gently removed his gun from hIs hands and also those of his immediate supporters. He did not like this, but submitted.
 "Whatevsr Geronimo's feeling were he gave no sign of them, but with great dignity told me he had come back and he would hear what I had to say. Knowing the Indian apprecia- tion of irony 1 gave him some. I talked about the way he had come back the year before and sad that of course l appreciated the fact that when he wanted to go north he should naturally go south. This raised laugh among my body guard, but he dld not like it bit.
 "'However, sad I, we are friends now, as you can see, or I should not have come so far to see you, and fear