ts came
to Lawton's camp. As soon as these Mexicans came in sight the Indians
seized their arms and vanished, as it were, among the rocks.

Captain Lawton wrote an account of conditions and delivered it to the
Mexicans, who withdrew. After they had gone and their mission had been
explained to Geronimo the Indians again returned to their camp and laid
down their arms.

On the next day word reached camp that General Miles was approaching and
the Indians again armed and disappeared among the rocks. (Many of the
Apache squaws had field glasses[44] and were stationed every day on
prominent mountain peaks to keep a lookout. No one could approach their
camp or Lawton's camp without being discovered by these spies.)

Soon after General Miles joined Lawton's command Geronimo rode into camp
unarmed, and dismounting approached General Miles, shook hands with him,
and then stood proudly before the officers waiting for General Miles to
begin conversation with him.

The interpreter said to Geronimo, "General Miles is your friend."
Geronimo said, "I never saw him, but I have been in need of friends. Why
has he not been with me?" When this answer was interpreted everybody
laughed. After this there was no more formality and without delay the
discussion of the treaty was begun. All I remember distinctly of the
treaty is that Geronimo and his band were not to be killed, but they
were to be taken to their families.

[Illustration: W. F. MELTON

At whose camp in Skeleton Canon Geronimo surrendered]

I remember this more distinctly, because the Indians were so much
pleased with this particular one of the terms of the treaty.

Geronimo, Naiche, and a few others went on ahead with General Miles, but
the main band of Indians left under the escort of Lawton's troops.

The night before they left, a young squaw, daughter-in-law of Geronimo,
gave birth to a child. The next morning the husband, Geronimo's son,
carried the child, but the mother mounted her pony unaided and rode away
unassisted--a prisoner of war under military escort.

On the afternoon of the day of the treaty Captain Lawton built a
monument (about ten feet across and six feet high) of rough stones at
the spot where the treaty was made. The next year some cowboys on a
round-up camped at the place, and tore down the monument to see what was
in it. All they found was a bottle containing a piece of paper upon
which was written the names of the officers who were with Lawton.