Page:The Indian History of the Modoc War.djvu/153

 t. Jack,

Schonchin and two or three others started to the two men on the bluff to help them. They had gone over thirty yards when they saw the troops lined along on the bluff pouring volley after volley right in the camp. Jack and Schonchin turned right down the creek and headed for a dense growth of willows. Bogus Charley caught Schonchin before he reached the Willows and threw him to the ground and held him until some of the soldiers got to him. Jack gained the Willow thicket safe. Scarface Charley made a manly effort to capture Ha-kar-gar-ush or Ben Lawver, as he is known now. Ben Lawver was too fast for him. Scarface Charley told me in New York City in 1875, that he could have killed Ben Lawver easily that day near Steele's Swamp, California, but he said Ha-kar-gar-ush was a good Indian; that he was such a coward he did not believe that he fired one shot at any white man during all their fighting in the lava beds.

The two men that opened fire on the north bluff of Wil- low Creek were both taken prisoners. Jack kept up a fire on the soldiers and the boys \vere afraid to go in the thicket after him. I do not blame them. Two men and three women got in the thicket with Capt. Jack, under cover of the creek, the men had left their guns in camp. The reader can imagine why they left their guns behind, they did not have time to seek fire arms. The Willow thicket looked good to them. One of the fellows named Jerry Hubbard died at my place on Whiskey Creek, Oregon, Klamath Reservation, April, 1898.

Ha-kar-gar-ush gave the scouts and troops the dodge, struck clue. north towards Horsefly Valley, Oregon, some seven or eight others with him, mostly women, two children. Ben Lawver's father and mother with three others, went up Willow Creek. It seems strange to say that not one was hit on either side where there was so much shooting clone by both sides. Their aim was poor. Capt. Jack's two wives and child, and sub-chief Schonchin's family, and all the others were captured right in camp by the four Modoc scouts.

Part of the troops were laying for Capt. Jack and the others were after one man and his wife. The boys had a running fight with him for about seven miles. It got dark.