and took refuge in a cave on the north side of Klamath River,
and about thirty-five miles from Yreka. They then were quite
numerous, well armed, and skilful in the use of the gun. Here
they repulsed a large company of volunteers with heavy loss
to the whites, and finally two companies of regulars were
driven from the field. Learning of the difficulty, and judging
the Indians were not wholly to blame, I proposed to Lieutenant
Bonicastle, then stationed at Fort Jones, and Judge Rose-
borough to accompany me, and with Tolo and another Indian
to visit their company, and arrange terms of peace. We went
and spent two days with them, before arriving at a solution
of the difficulty. During this time they several times pointed
their guns at us with a determination to shoot, but as often
were talked into a better turn of mind, and finally agreed to
go and live at Fort Jones, and remain in peace with the whites.
The third day thereafter was settled upon for their removal,
when Bonecastle was to send a company of soldiers to escort
and protect them. In the next day a white man, who had a
squaw at the cave, went out unknown to us and told the In-
dians he was sent for them and thereupon they packed up and
started for Fort Jones with him, one day ahead of time agreed
upon. On their way in Klamath River, about twenty miles
from Yreka, they were waylaid, and their chief, Bill, shot from
behind the brush and killed. They kept their faith, neverthe-
less, and came in, when I explained it so they were satisfied.
This was known to the Modocs and they talked of it on our
last visit to the cave. Occasionally thereafter I was applied to on
matters of trifling moment and easily arranged, until my ap-
pointment to the Indian Superintendency, in the summer of
1863, for the northern district of California. In this narra-
tion I have passed over several Rogue River wars without
notice, as I had nothing to do with them ; also the Modoc War
of 1852, which took place whilst I was away at Crescent City,
therefore all I know of that was hearsay; but I know 7 it was
generally known that Ben Wright had concocted the plan of
poisoning those Indians at a feast, and that his interpreter
Indian, Livile, had exposed to the Indians, so that but few-
ate of the meat, and that Wright and his company then fell
