Page:On the border with Crook - Bourke - 1892.djvu/516

 such an unmistakable manner that the young gentleman at once became the guy of the packers. "Geronimo" and his warriors remained up in their village all day, debating the idea of an unconditional surrender.

The next morning (March 27th) "Chihuahua" sent a secret message to General Crook, to say that he was certain all the Chiricahuas would soon come in and surrender; but whether they did or not, he would surrender his own band at noon and come down into our camp. "Ka-e-ten-na" and "Alchise" had been busy at work among the hostiles, dividing their councils, exciting their hopes, and enhancing their fears; could General Crook have promised them immunity for the past, they would have come down the previous evening, when "Chihuahua" had first sent word of his intention to give up without condition, but General Crook did not care to have "Chihuahua" leave the hostiles at once; he thought he could be more useful by remaining in the village for a day or two as a leaven to foment distrust of "Geronimo" and start a disintegration and demoralization of the band. "Ka-e-ten-na" told General Crook that all the previous night "Geronimo" kept his warriors ready for any act of treachery on our part, and that during the talk of the 25th they were prepared to shoot the moment an attempt should be made to seize their leaders. It was scarcely noon when "Geronimo," "Chihuahua," "Nachita," "Kutli," and one other buck came in and said they wanted to talk. "Nané" toddled after them, but he was so old and feeble that we did not count him. Our people gathered under the sycamores in the ravine, while "Geronimo" seated himself under a mulberry, both he and "Kutli" having their faces blackened with pounded galena. "Chihuahua" spoke as follows: "I am very glad to see you, General Crook, and have this talk with you. It is as you say: we are always in danger out here. I hope that from this on we may live better with our families, and not do any more harm to anybody. I am anxious to behave. I think that the Sun is looking down upon me, and the Earth is listening. I am thinking better. It seems to me that I have seen the one who makes the rain and sends the winds, or he must have sent you to this place. I surrender myself to you, because I believe in you and you do not deceive us. You must be our God; I am satisfied with all that you do. You must be the one who makes the green pastures, who sends the rain, who commands