About the middle of March, Canby and the peace commission removed headquarters to Van Brimmer's, and the troops now numbering between 500 and 600, were drawn closer to the lava beds.
No material change took place in the attitude of affairs for ten or twelve days. The material of war was slowly brought nearer to Jack's stronghold to convince him of the futility of all attempts at escape. If Jack was waiting to gain time, when the snow being off the mountains the Snakes could come to his assistance, he was in apparent danger of being frustrated, though that he occasionally gained some recruits from renegades of other bands was credited.
On the 19th Meacham wrote to the commissioner of Indian affairs at Washington, that he had not entirely abandoned hopes of success; even that he was satisfied, had no outside treachery intervened, peace would have been accomplished before this. The Modocs, he said, had been informed that the authorities of Oregon demanded the warriors indicted ; also that Jack would surrender them, but dared not. In this letter he advocated a meeting on Jack's terms; and said if left to him he should have visited Jack in the lava beds; and that he was ready to do so at that time, but was restrained by Canby.
It did not appear, however, that anything had occurred that should have changed his mind since he had written that the Modocs meant treachery. That he did not at this time enjoy the confidence of the departments is placed beyond doubt by a telegram from Sherman to Canby, authorizing him to remove from the commission any member he thought unfit, and devolving upon him the entire management of the Modoc question.
Canby did not think it necessary to remove Meacham, the only member of the commission then on the ground, particularly as he was clothed with supreme power. But even Canby could not make all his reports agree, for on one day he thought that the
