Page:The Indian History of the Modoc War.djvu/176

 sacre ?"

A. "Some time before. Well, I was in Capt. Jack's stronghold several times before the massacre."

WILLIAM FAITHFUL, ONE OF THE MODOC WARRIORS.

Q. "State why you went in there ?"

A. "To carry messages and read and interpret them to the Indians. My wife and I took a written message to Capt. Jack one day in April. I read it to him, interpreted it to him, gave him the message and told him to have it with him when he and his men met the Commissioners. He threw it on the ground and said, 'Am I a white man that you give me this piece of paper? I cannot read. I do not want it. I can and will meet you without this paper!' He said, 'I will meet the Com- missioners this side of the peace tent and no where else,' point- ing to a certain land mark about one mile from the peace tent."

O. "A mile nearer to his stronghold than the peace tent?"

A. "Yes. Jack said then, that was all he had to say. I could hear the others talking, and sort of making light of the Peace Commissioners, as much as to say outright, they did not care for the Peace Commisioners."

Q. "What was the tenor of this message you say you read?"

A. "It was a message from the Commissioners, stating that they wished to hold a council the next day with them at the peace tent, to have a permanent settlement of the difficulties between the whites and the Indians. They wanted to make peace and move them to some warm climate, where they could live like white people."

Q. "Where is that note you carried?"

A. "It is lost."

Q. "Did Capt. Jack say anything about arms in reference to the meeting ?"

A. "Yes, sir. He said he would meet them five men without arms, and he would do the same. He would not take any arms with him."

Q. "That he would meet them at the place he fixed, one mile nearer the Lava Beds."

A. "Yes, sir, one mile nearer the stronghold/'

Q. "Five men without arms and he would also go without

arms?"