tes troops, passed and repassed through this valley when going
to Old Mexico or returning therefrom, but never before had two hostile
bands passed through here at the same time and traveling in the same
direction, except when one fled and the other pursued. What this could
mean was a mystery to us. Could it be that the troops had not seen the
Indians? Were the redskins trying to head the troops off and attack them
in their camp? Were the troops hunting for those Indians? Could this be
Lawton's command? Could that be Geronimo's band? No, it was impossible.
Then who were these troops and what Indians were those?

Cautiously we rode to our camp, and nailed on the door of our cabin was
this notice:

"BE CAREFUL, GERONIMO IS NEAR BY AND HAS NOT YET SURRENDERED.

"CAPT. LAWTON."

Then we understood.

A short distance above our cabin we found the camp of the troops and we
had just finished talking with Captain Lawton, who advised us to remain
in his camp rather than risk staying alone in our cabin, when up rode
the chief, Geronimo. He was mounted on a blaze-faced, white-stockinged
dun horse.

He came directly to Captain Lawton and through an interpreter asked who
we were and what we wanted.

As soon as the explanation was given he nodded his approval and rode
away.

Prewitt and I rode away with him. We were well armed and well mounted
and Geronimo was well mounted, but so far as we could see unarmed. I
tried to talk with the chief (in English), but could not make him
understand. Prewitt wanted to shoot[43] him and said he could easily
kill him the first shot, but I objected and succeeded in restraining
him. While we were arguing the chief rode silently between us, evidently
feeling perfectly secure. All this time we had been riding in the
direction of our horses that were grazing in the valley about a mile
distant from our corral. When we came to a place about a half mile from
Lawton's camp, where a spur of the mountain ran far out into the valley,
Geronimo turned aside, saluted, said in fairly good Spanish, "_Adios,
Senors_," and began to ascend a mountain path. Later we learned that he
was going directly toward his camp far up among the rocks. We rode on,
drove our horses back to the corral and remained in our cabin all night,
but were not molested by the Indians.

The next day we killed three beeves for the Indians, and they were paid
for by Captain Lawton. On the second day two mounted Mexican scou