But the Modocs had not seen Donald McKay and his Wascos leave the camp the evening before, nor were they aware that he was within striking distance that morning, at a most critical time.  Hearing the firing and yells McKay left his pack animals, and under the leadership of Captain George, chief of the Wascos, attacked the Modocs in the rear.

From a rout of the soldiers it became a rout of the Modocs.  They quickly fled and Jack was the first man to run.  This brought on dissensions, for the Hot Creeks claimed they had to do all the fighting, all the guard duty, had, in fact, to endure all the hardships, while old Jack in his gold braided uniform stood at a safe distance giving orders.  During the dispute Hooker Jim shot at, or attempted to shoot Jack.

The Modocs, or renegades were now out of the lava beds, and with soldiers and volunteers practically surrounding them, and with dissensions in their own camp, the band broke up.  Jack and his band went in a northeast direction, closely followed by Hasbrook and McKay’s Indians, and two days later surrendered.

The Hot Creeks went around the lower end of Tule Lake and surrendered to Gen. Davis at the Fairchilds-Doten ranch.  Hooker Jim, followed them and seeing they were not massacred by the soldiers, determined to surrender.  Yet this Indian, one of the worst of the band of outlaws, was an outlaw to every human being on earth.  He dared not go to Jack’s band, his own party had disowned and tried to kill him.  He watched the band from the bald hills above the ranch enter the camp of the soldiers.  He saw they were not massacred.  He then made up his mind to surrender.  He fixed in his mind the tent of Gen. Davis.  Crawling as close to the line of pickets as possible, he raised his gun above his head and yelling “Me Hooker Jim,” ran through the lines, among soldiers, and up to the tent door of Gen. Davis, threw down his gun, and said, “me Hooker Jim, I give up.”

In speaking of the surrender, Gen. Davis said to me:  “Here was a man, an outlaw to every human being on earth, throwing down his rifle and saying, “me Hooker Jim, me give up.”  He stood before me as stolid as a bronze.  I have seen some grand sights, but taking everything into consideration, that was the grandest sight I ever witnessed.”

Hasbrook followed relentlessly Jack’s band and captured them in the canyon below Steel Swamp.  Jack was an arrant coward, but old Sconchin, whose bows and arrows I retain as a souvenir, and which were presented to me by a sergeant of the troop, was a fighter, and would have died fighting.

Chapter XIV.

Trailing the Fugitives.

While all this was going on I was riding from Salem, Oregon, “Gov.  Grover’s mad-cap Colonel,” as Jas. D. Fay, Harvey Scott of the Oregonian, and some other of my enemies, designated me.  Fay did not like me and I happened to to be with Senator Nesmith when he caned Harvey Scott in the Chemeketa Hotel at Salem.  My meeting with Senator Nesmith was accidental, but Scott never forgave me, nor did he in fact neglect any opportunity to “lambaste” me after that time.