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OP THE M.ODOC WAR

Tolo, Chief John, and others to come to me at Johnson's the next morning for a talk. Getting to Johnson's, I found it surrounded by a stockade, and all the inmates in great fear, and also in wonderment at my coming through the Indians, unharmed. The next morning, agreeable to appointment, the Indians came in; claimed that it was none of their Indians that committed the murder, but a couple of young men from Rogue River, then stopping with the Shastas. They then gave me as hostages, Tolo, Jim, and another Indian, who were to go with a company I should raise to capture the mur- derers, or, on failure, to be dealt with as I should say was right. With our Indian prisoners or hostages we came to Yreka, where we found the people under great fear and excitement, and it was with difficulty that we could prevent an excited mob from taking our Indians and hanging them. Next morn- ing, with a few more of my friends, at Yreka, with our In- dians, we followed in the chase. Proceeding to the canyon of the Shasta River, we found all of the Indians of that branch of the tribe under great fear, and, after much difficulty, by sending Tolo out as a runner, we got them together on this occasion. A powerful spy-glass which I had, and of which they had no knowledge, by which I could see their Indians on the hills far off, had a wonderful influence on their supersti- tion, and aided in their control. We remained with them all night, and during the talk learned that they had driven the Indians out that had committed the offense, for fear of bring- ing trouble upon themselves, and that the aggressors had gone to Rogue River. These Indians proposed to exchange two of their Indians, whom, they said, were acquainted with the passes of that country, for the ones we had, and we to con- tinue the pursuit. Some of our men thought it was mere passes of that country, for the ones we had, and we to con- tinue the pursuit. Some of our men thought it was mere pretext to avoid the responsibility, but a few of us, ten in all (one of the number being another Indian), resolved to accept this proposition. Frank Merrit (now with McConnel and Mr. McMannus of Yreka) ,. Dr. Thomson (I think now in the employ of some of the Departments at Washington, D. C.,