people who are not Christians, to study that religion, because
it seems to me the best religion in enabling one to live right.

FOOTNOTE:

[57] Geronimo joined the Dutch Reformed church and was baptized in the
summer of 1903. He attends the services regularly at the Apache Mission,
Ft. Sill Military Reservation.

CHAPTER XXIII

HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

I am thankful that the President of the United States has given me
permission to tell my story. I hope that he and those in authority under
him will read my story and judge whether my people have been rightly
treated.

There is a great question between the Apaches and the Government. For
twenty years we have been held prisoners of war under a treaty which was
made with General Miles, on the part of the United States Government,
and myself as the representative of the Apaches. That treaty has not at
all times been properly observed by the Government, although at the
present time it is being more nearly fulfilled on their part than
heretofore. In the treaty with General Miles we agreed to go to a place
outside of Arizona and learn to live as the white people do. I think
that my people are now capable of living in accordance with the laws of
the United States, and we would, of course, like to have the liberty to
return to that land which is ours by divine right. We are reduced in
numbers, and having learned how to cultivate the soil would not require
so much ground as was formerly necessary. We do not ask all of the land
which the Almighty gave us in the beginning, but that we may have
sufficient lands there to cultivate. What we do not need we are glad for
the white men to cultivate.

We are now held on Comanche and Kiowa lands, which are not suited to our
needs--these lands and this climate are suited to the Indians who
originally inhabited this country, of course, but our people are
decreasing in numbers here, and will continue to decrease unless they
are allowed to return to their native land. Such a result is inevitable.

There is no climate or soil which, to my mind, is equal to that of
Arizona. We could have plenty of good cultivating land, plenty of grass,
plenty of timber and plenty of minerals in that land which the Almighty
created for the Apaches. It is my land, my home, my fathers' land, to
which I now ask to be allowed to return. I want to spend my last days
there, and be buried among those mountains. If this could be I might die
in peace, feeli