agent falling to protect them they left the reservation, having been upon it but three months, in the winter of 1869-70. Why they had refused to come upon the reservation before that time, he did not say, nor make any reference to the fact that they were coerced into coming at that time; and that consequently their dislike to the reservation did not have its foundation in the conduct of the Klamaths during those three months. Thus while Canby was asked to compel the Modocs to go upon their reservation, he was furnished with a cogent reason for hesitating to do so; and was placed by the statements of the superintendent of Indian affairs in the position too often occupied by the military department, of opposition to the people whose property and lives were involved. And not only Canby, but the commander of the division, who received his information from Canby, was influenced in like manner.
Alarmed by the delay in arresting Jack and his confederates, a petition was forwarded by the people of Klamath basin to Governor Grover, of Oregon, to urge the superintendent to remove the Modocs, or in case this was not done, to authorize the organization of a company of mounted militia, to be raised in the settlements for three months' service, unless sooner discharged by the governor. In this petition the settlers reiterated their former statements, saying they had been harassed for four years by the Modocs, who were about 250 in number, with about eighty warriors every day growing more insolent.
The military, said the petitioners, are keen to extend the desired protection, but are subject to the superintendent's order, who has turned a deaf ear to our numerous petitions; and unless the governor could help them there was no further authority to which they could appeal. They were scattered over a large area of country, and in case of an outbreak the loss of life would be heavy, a contingency they were seeking to avoid
