Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/596

578 diately joined in the search. While at Brotherton's they had a skirmish with Scarface's party of Modocs. Fortifying themselves in a stable, one of the friendly Modocs was sent to hold a parley with Scarface, and to spy upon him, which he did by affecting to sympathize with his cause. He escaped back by pretending that he went to bring in other sympathizers from the reservation, but instead revealed the plan of the enemy, which was to finish the work of murder and pillage on that day. Jack arid eighteen warriors were to proceed down the west side of Lost River to the Stone Ford, and join Scarface. When they had killed the men who were searching for the dead, they would return and attack Jackson; but Applegate's party prevented the junction. Ferrer's company of Klamaths had also been on a scout down the west side of the river, under Blow, one of the head men on the reservation, which being observed by Jack, re strained his operations on that side. They could not now attack without exposing themselves to the fire of two camps a short distance apart, and retired to the lava-beds.

Entering lower Klamath Lake from the south was a small stream forking- toward the west, the southern branch being known as Cottonwood Creek, and the western one as Willow Creek. On the first was a farm belonging to Van Bremer, and on the other the farm of John A. Fairchilds. On Hot Creek, a stream coming into the lake on the west side, lived P. A. Dorris. Between Dorris and Fairchild's places was an encampment of forty-five Indians called Hot Creeks, a branch of the Modocs, a squalid company, but who if they joined Jack's forces might become dangerous; and these it was determined to bring upon the reservation. Being a good deal frightened by what they knew of the late events, they yielded to argument, and set out for their new home under the conduct of Fairchild, Dorris, and Samuel Culver.