Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/649

 pearance of Jack to indicate the military genius that was there. He was rather small, weighing about 145 pounds, with small hands and feet, and thin arms. His face was round, and his forehead low and square. His expression was serious, almost morose, his eyes black, sharp, and watchful, indicating cunning, caution, and a determined will. His age was thirty-six, and he looked even younger. Clad in soiled cavalry pantaloons and dark calico shirt, his bushy, unkempt hair cut square across his forehead, reclining negligently on his elbow on the ground, with a pipe between his teeth, from which smoke was seldom seen to issue, his face motionless but for the darting of his watchful eyes, he looked almost like any other savage.

As to the manner in which the war was protracted, the cause is apparent. Had Wheaton been permitted to build his mortar-boats, he would have shelled the Modocs out of their caves as easily as did Gillem, and it being winter, they would have had to surrender. The peace commission intervened, the Modocs were permitted to go where they would, and to carry all the plans of the campaign to the stronghold to study how to defeat them. The cutting-off of Thomas' command could only have happened through a knowledge of the intended reconnoissance. Davis' plan was to occupy the lava-beds as the Modocs had, which was a wise one, for as soon as they were prevented from returning, it was only a matter of a few days scouting to run them down.

There remains little to be told of the Modoc story. The remainder of the band was soon captured. Owing to the alarm felt after the massacre of the peace