Page:The Indian History of the Modoc War.djvu/280



each other, the Humboldt and the Mendocino Indians in war with our people, the few on the reservations naked and dying of starvation, and truly a heart-rending scene. As soon as possible I furnished them relief ; and after the second day, none died of hunger or want, and in a short time I had the Hum- boldt War closed, the Indians, as far as desired, on the reserva- tion and cheerfully at work, and the next July found the prod- ucts of their labor equal to all their wants. For the next year I was legislated out of office by Mr. Conness, our Senator, Mr. Lincoln having refused to remove me at his request. In the spring of 1864, on returning home from a trip to San Fran- cisco I found my lot adjoining my house south of Yreka (since burned) filled with Indians of the Modoc, Klamath, Lake Shasta, Scott River, Salmon River, Klamath River, and Sacra- mento River tribes, numbering several hundred, and awaiting my coming. My wife had been lecturing them upon the best way to live with each other, and with our people, and that they were more than ready to enter into treaties with each other, and with us; the work left for me to do in arranging all mat- ters was light and two days found all happy and friends; at this time all were so well pleased that they agreed that I should be the chief over, them all, and, when any difficulty arose among them, that it should be submitted to me. and my decree should be binding. This proposition came from Captain Jack, the chief of the Modocs, and cheerfully agreed to by all. I called quite a number of our citizens to join the treaty, and from that day to the outbreak of the war, they have troubled me with their difficulties, which have generally been decided to their satisfaction. After this I was removed from office and Roseborough was on the bench. I frequently persuaded them to go to him, as he was the Boston Tyee, and they always looked upon him with great respect. So, among us, we have managed to keep peace until last November. As to the charge through the Oregon papers and the reports of Superintendent Odeneal, that I advised them to leave thereser- vation, or that I advised them to remain off the reservation, or to resist the authorities in trying to take them back, or that I at any time gave them encouragement of being able to cope