what was going on, and misunderstanding Jack's professions of peaceable intent, fully believed he had bound his people to surrender to the government and accept its mercy. The mistake seems to have been a singular one, inasmuch as Riddle and his wife were the best of interpreters, and both Steele and Fairchild familiar with Indian manners; besides which, Scarface could speak English, and probably some of the others.
On returning to headquarters Steele repor-ted that peace was made; the Modocs accepted. An immediate feeling of relief was experienced by the commissioners, who set about preparing despatches and summoning couriers, when Fairchild declared there was a mistake in the report; the Modocs had not agreed to a surrender and removal. So confident was Steele that he had understood Jack correctly that he proposed returning and having a second interview. Fairchild, equally positive there had been a misunderstanding, and fearing the effect when Steele's report became known to the Modocs, declined to expose himself to their rasre. Meacham, in view of these conflicting opinions, cautiously reported that he had reason f )r believing an honorable and permanent peace would be concluded within a few days, at the same time so guarding his statements as to commit himself to no particular theory.
This caution was w^ell timed, as the result of Steele's second interview proved. On returning to the cave the same evening, he found the Indians much excited, by what it was difficult to tell. Hooker Jim and the others who visited the camp at Fairchild's might have been alarmed by stories received from go-between Indian women and vicious white men; this was the view adopted by the friends of the Modocs, But there were other circumstances that looked like premeditated deceit and treachery. The Modocs had been reen forced by twenty warriors, though Captain Jack still professed peace principles. Sconchin was openly hostile, and professed great anger at the pro
