docs, Snakes, and Pit Rivers. They were occupied during the time the regular troops were massing their material, in scouting through the country, to prevent not only fresh outrages on citizens, but to intercept Jack's messengers and spies, whose visits to Camp Yainax were a source of some uneasiness.
Now that Jack had decided upon war, his great endeavor was to gain over the Modocs on the reservation as he had done the Hot Creeks, and in order to do this he employed threats as well as entreaties. Those who would not help him were to be considered his enemies, and killed as if they were whites. The Hot Creeks, being off the reservation and unprotected, were easily convinced that their safety lay in following Jack; the reservation Indians were differently placed. So long as they were loyal to their treaty obligations, they could demand the protection of the government. It was even for their interest to assist in putting down Jack, who they knew would scruple at nothing to carry his points, or to draw them into the trouble he was himself in. Sconchin and the most intelligent of the reservation Modocs understood this perfectly. At the same time there was always the possibility that Jack might carry out his threat to destroy the camp at Yainax, in which case trouble would follow, either through the conflict of the two bands, or through the reservation Indians being frightened into compliance with Jack's demands. Nor was compulsion alone to be feared, but the influence of the feeling of kinship, which is strong among the Indians. In order to guard against a surprise, the agency buildings were enclosed by palisades, and a guard maintained day and night.
When Canby received the report of the battle of the 29th of November and the subsequent slaughters, he ordered Colonel Mason, with a battalion numbering sixty-four men, to proceed to the Klamath country to join the command of the district of the Lakes.
