Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/644

 dash along the southern border of the lava-beds to beat up Indians in ambush. A thorough scouting of the whole region resulted in surprising a party of the Cotton wood Creek band, killing one warrior and two armed women, who were mistaken for warriors. All the rest of the men escaped, leaving five women and as many children, who were taken prisoners.

From these women intelligence was gained that after the defeat at Sorass Lake two thirds of Jack's following had deserted him, declaring a longer contest useless, and that he had now no ability to fight except in self-defence. At the last stormy conference Jack had reluctantly consented to a cessation of hostilities, and the advocates of peace had retired to their beds among the rocks satisfied; but when morning came they found their captain gone, with his adherents and all the best horses and arms, as they believed, toward Pit River Mountains. The intelligence that the Modocs were roaming at will over the country caused the adjutant-general of the militia of California to order to be raised a company of fifty sharp-shooters, under the captaincy of J. C. Burgess of Siskiyou county, which was directed to report to Davis.

On the 20th of May, Hasbrouck brought his prisoners in to headquarters, at Fairchild's farm, delivering them to the general, who immediately despatched two Indian women, Artena and Dixie, formerly employed as messengers by the peace commissioners, to find the remainder of the Cottonwood band and invite them to come in and surrender without conditions. Artena had no confidence that the Modocs would surrender, because of their fear that the soldiers would fall upon them and slaughter them in revenge for their atrocities. But Davis succeeded in convincing her that he could control his men, and she in turn, after several visits, convinced the hesitating Indians so far that they consented, especially as Davis had at last sent them word that if they again refused they