insolent and insulting, so long as permitted to roam about the country, without the presence of a considerable military force to compel good behavior. In order to make room for the Modocs, and remove all cause of complaint it was proposed to place Otseho's band of Snakes, together with Wewawewa's and some others, on a reservation in the Malheur country. The same suggestion was made in a communication to Canby April 15th.
While these matters were under discussion an order arrived from the commissioner of Indian affairs to remove the Modocs, if practicable, to the reservation already set apart for them under the treaty of October 1864, and to see that they were properly protected from the Klamaths—showing that Jack's story of abuse had reached Washington. The superintendent, if he could not remove them, or could not keep them on the reservation, was instructed to report his views of locating them at some other point, naming and describing such place as he selected.
Not wishing to make the journey to Klamath, Odeneal wrote to agent Dyar at the reservation and Commissary Ivan Applegate, at Yainax, to see Captain Jack, and endeavor to persuade him to return to the reservation. Previous to this order, on the 3d of March, Major Otis had made an attempt similar to the one now required of the agent at Klamath. By means of his Indian scouts under Donald McKay, he opened communication with Jack, assuring him of the peaceable nature of his mission, and inviting him to meet him at Linkville, a settlement founded by George Nourse at the lower end of the upper Klamath lake. But Jack declined to meet the major anywhere but in his own country. After considerable negotiation it was arranged that the meeting should take place at Lost river gap, the soldiers to be left at Linkville, and Jack's warriors, except half a dozen men, to be left away from the council ground. Otis went to the rendezvous with Agent High, two of
