Lava Beds

NATIONAL MONUMENT • CALIFORNIA lhe Modoc War of In 1864 the Modocs On April 11, 1873, the Ten days later, pursuing -:» 1872-73 was one of agreed to move north to the peace commission and a the Modocs, Capt. Evan the last clashes be­ Klamath Indian Reservation. Modoc group led by Captain Thomas marched about 70 tween Indians and But there they lived on Jack met between the two soldiers into an ambush at white men in the Klamath homeland, a fact camps under a flag of truce. Hardin Butte. As the men Pacific west. Con­ that the Klamaths would not The Indians produced weap­ stopped for lunch, the sidering the small let them forget. One group, ons, and Brig. Gen. E. R. S. Indians opened fire, killing or number of Indians led by Captain Jack, finally Canby and the Reverend wounding nearly two-thirds involved and the hundreds of had all it could take of the Eleasar Thomas were killed. of the force. Ttroops amassed against them, overbearing Klamaths and Ironically, these two men had it probably was the most returned to its former home BLUFF WEST OF TULE LAKE. been among the most sym­ The army won its first costly Indian campaign ever pathetic and strongest advo­ victory on May 10 at Dry waged by the United States. cates of fair treatment of Lake, repulsing what began The Modocs were not excep­ and on January 17, 1873, the Modocs. as a surprise attack by the tional fighters, nor were they nearly 350 soldiers and vol­ Modocs. Divided by quarrels, well organized, but the skill unteers attacked the 50 or two-thirds of the band sur­ and organization of the more Indian fighting men and rendered. Captain Jack was tracked down and captured Americans was even worse. CAPTAIN JACK. their families—some 160 in These facts, combined with on Lost River, north of Tule all—in the Stronghold. Con­ by June 1. He and three the clear advantage for the Lake. Friction then devel­ fused by fog, hampered by others were convicted of Indians of the incredibly oped with the ranchers who, the brutal terrain and winter murder and hanged at Fort SCHONCHIN BUTTE. rugged yet familiar terrain, meanwhile, had occupied the cold, and intimidated by Klamath on October 3, 1873. prolonged the dispute beyond region. Jack's men walked enemy fire which seemed to The remainder of the band all expectations. freely into the settlers' homes, come from everywhere, the was removed to Oklahoma. frightened their families, and troops after a long day ABOUT YOUR VISIT is dedicated to conserving The Modocs were an inde­ demanded tribute for use of retreated. They had lost the scenic, scientific, and pendent people, fiercely the land. about 10 percent of their The monument is in Cali­ historic heritage of the number to the Modocs. attached to their homeland of fornia near the Oregon- United States for the benefit Lava Beds sagebrush plateaus, wooded California line between U.S. and enjoyment of its people. mountains, and broad, shal­ At the urging of humani­ 97 and Calif. 139. It is 41 low lakes. They lived largely tarians throughout the CAPTAIN JACK'S CAVE. miles south of Klamath Falls, A superintendent, whose on fish and waterfowl, and country, the Government Oreg., the nearest large town. address is Box 867, Tulelake, f • I * t - '-J * 3 on bulbs and seeds. When next attempted to negotiate. Calif. 96134, is in immediate The Modocs spun out the Four days later the final There is an improved settlers began to cross their attack on the stronghold was charge. territory and disturb the talks as long as possible, MURDERERS OF LOST RIVER SETTLERS. campground at headquarters. r-.l.*f. ;•. r J.J-. i launched by about 1,000 A picnic area (no water is game, the Modocs attacked ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AN ATTACK. hoping to escape with the THE DEPARTMENT OF coming of good weather. soldiers. On April 16 troops available and fires are pro­ wagon trains and harrassed advancing from west and east The main battlefields of THE INTERIOR—the Na­ On November 29, 1872, They feared trusting them­ hibited) is located at Fleener would-be ranchers. Troops joined along the lakeshore the Modoc War, located in tion's principal natural troops, aided by settlers, selves to the soldiers and had Chimneys. Gasoline lanterns and volunteers sent to protect and cut the Modocs off from the monument, are practically resource agency—bears a attempted to force the no desire to return to the for visiting caves are avail­ the emigrants learned that their water supply. This event the same today as they were special obligation to assure Modocs back to the reserva­ reservation, particularly since able at headquarters. Lodg­ the Modoc homeland was shook the Indians' faith in in 1873. The rock forts that our expendable resources tion. However, there were some of them were by then ing, food, and gasoline are highly suitable for stock- their shaman, or medicine marking the scenes of con­ are conserved, that our re­ too few soldiers to overawe under indictment for murder. not available in the monu­ raising, and demand grew man, who had asserted that flict are preserved and newable resources are man­ the Indians. After a brief ment but may be obtained in for the removal of the no soldiers would reach the protected by the National aged to produce optimum fight the Modocs escaped to The Modocs had one more nearby Tulelake and Newell, Indians. stronghold. Another blow Park Service. benefits, and that all resources the natural fortress in the plan: a group among them on Calif. 139. came that night when the contribute to the progress lava beds now known as decided to assassinate the Modocs lost their first man. and prosperity of the United Captain Jack's Stronghold. peace commissioners and a ADMINISTRATION The shaman, who had con­ States, now and in the future. During their retreat, a few few high-ranking army vinced the defenders they LAVA BEDS NATIONAL Modocs killed 14 male officers. Following what were invincible, now was MONUMENT, established settlers on isolated ranches would have been true under U.S. DEPARTMENT OF considered powerless. The on November 21, 1925, and near Tule Lake. their own customs, they THE INTERIOR believed that by killing the dispirited Modocs decided to containing about 72 square National Park Service The settlers in this Cali­ white man's leaders they abandon their fortress, and miles, is administered by the fornia-Oregon border country would end the opposition. the same night silently moved National Park Service, U.S. became more and more Captain Jack at first opposed their entire camp along a Department of the Interior. natural depression southward CAMP AT TULE LAKE. indignant. Troops were this plan, but he was shamed CAPTAIN JACK S STRONGHOLD. The National Park System, rushed to the Modoc country, into endorsing it. into the Schonchin lava flow. of which this area is a unit, NATIONAL MONUMENT • CALIFORNIA

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1966 0 — 218-657 M/MSS Ag®,a grew ®$ nmlwg WV flURB US ANOTHER §W TR5©- flar ^ grin aiad jagg®*! Damdssapis Gioi Ala hs&Uk km9^ma€w§trails of bighorn are tions range from about 4,000 great masses of pahoehoe some tubes hardened into flow levels, where pauses visible on some of the buttes, to 5,700 feet above sea level. (ropy) lava which flowed like ribs. occurred in the subsiding but before the monument was frothy molasses from deep established these animals had Many of the caves are on flow of lava through the tube, The smooth cinder cones cracks in the earth's crust. permitting the edges of the been exterminated, probably are the most conspicuous the Cave Loop Road in the by diseases and competition The lava tubes, or caves, headquarters area, where lava stream to cool and form features. These miniature crusts. from domestic sheep and volcanoes rise 100 to nearly occur in this type of lava. there is a series of 17 caves cattle for the scant forage 500 feet from the lava beds. Nearly 300 lava tubes have which exhibit most of the The plantlife of the area is under the snow. The largest of these cones is been found within the monu­ lava-tube features. Sentinel unexpectedly colorful. In Schonchin Butte, named after ment, and many more are Cave is so named for the spring and early summer, the Tule Lake National Wild­ a famous war chief of the believed to exist. The surface guardian figures of stone region at times is a veritable life Refuge, administered by Modocs. There are about 17 of the lava cooled and hard­ which adorn its passageway. garden, with flowers bloom­ the Fish and Wildlife Service, cinder cones, most of them in ened into a strong crust; Catacombs Cave, one of the ing profusely wherever there U.S. Department of the the southern part of the whereas the lava beneath, most striking in the whole is sufficient soil. About 250 Interior, adjoins the monu­ monument. cooling more slowly, con­ region, derives its name from species grow here. The purple ment on the north and is a tinued to flow from under the peculiar niches in the sage, scarlet Indian paint­ haven for millions of birds, You will also notice the crust, thus leaving a tube, wall, resembling the burial brush, pale blue wild flax, especially during the migra­ spatter, or dribblet, cones or cave. Today, collapsed places of ancient Rome. The and yellow rabbitbrush stand tions each spring and autumn. formed on the lava flows. lava tubes form the serpent­ floors of this cave, with 1 Vz out sharply against the black The checklist of birds of the Some of these form large, like trenches of broken rock miles of passages, are for the lava flows, and the many Lava Beds area has about tubelike structures resembling 20 to 100 feet deep and 50 to most part very smooth. shades of green in scattered 200 species. (continue right)