Page:The Indian History of the Modoc War.djvu/102

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THE INDIAN HISTORY

him I will be ready at any time to receive him and his soldiers. I am not afraid to die. I have committed a great wrong. I know it, but was forced to do it by my men, and also by Canby himself. He did not talk straight to me."

Panorama of the Lava Beds.

To the left is the U. S. hospital. To the right are General Gillem's and the officers' quarters. In the center are Riddle's camp, Charley La Booth's restaurant and Pat McManus' store.

Boston Charley stepped over towards where Meacham was lying, face down, saying as he went: "I guess I will take Meacham's scalp along to remember him by." He took a dull black handled jack knife out of his pocket, a knife that he had taken from a dead soldier's pocket that had fallen January 17th, 1873. He put his foot on Meacham's neck and commenced the hard task to secure for himself a trophy to hang on his belt. Tobey went to Boston Charley and begged him not to cut his scalp, even if he was dead. Boston said: "Leave

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