Page:The Indian History of the Modoc War.djvu/77

 face the best he could by the dim firelight. He knew something was wrong among his men. He did not know that Schonchin, his sub-chief, had been talking war. Finally he said: "Weuim, I just do not know how to commence, but will say I have a hard fight ahead of me in the coming councils, to save my men that killed the settlers, or to win my point to secure a piece of land in this country for our future home, but I am going to do it without any trouble. All I have to do is to hold the councils and stick to my point. I shall win, at least, I think I will. All I ask you people to do is to behave yourselves and wait. I do not want to do anything rash, that will not do. We may go to Yainax, Oregon, where our other Modoc people are. They live in peace, why can't we?"

Schonchin said, "Yes, I have a brother at Yainax. I know he enjoys life there with his people, but he nor any of his Yainax people killed whites, but we have. We never could get along there, even with our own blood, let alone the whites." "Oh yes, we could Schonchin. I will work it so no whites will bother us. They will protect us in time. The way I intend to do is this, with them peace-makers. I will hold out for a reservation at Hot Creek or right here in the Lava Beds, as I have been doing. When they see I insist on either one of these places, they will offer us Yainax. Then I accept with the understanding I take all my people, none to be tried for murder. My people, depend on me, I will pull you all through right."

Black Jim jumped on a big rock and said: "Jack, you will never save your people. You can't do it. Are you blind, my chief? Can't you see soldiers arriving every two or three days? Don't you know the last soldiers that came brought big guns with them that shoots bullets as big as your head? Then you say you are going to win your point. Never! The Commissioners intend to make peace with you by blowing your head off with one of them big guns. You mind what I tell you, Jack, the only way we can get an even start with them peace-makers is to kill them next council; then all we can do is to fight until we die. If I had my way them peace shammers would have been killed long ago, before so many