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I
sent my brother Porico (White Horse) with Mr. George Wratton on to
Fort Bowie to see General Miles, and to tell him that we wished to
return to Arizona; but before these messengers returned I met two
Indian scouts—Kayitah, a Chokonen Apache, and Marteen, a Nedni
Apache. They were serving as scouts for Captain Lawton's troops.They
told me that General Miles had come and had sent them to ask me to
meet him. So I went to the camp of the United States troops to meet
General Miles.
When I arrived at their camp I went directly to General Miles and
told him how I had been wronged, and that I wanted to return to
the United States with my people, as we wished to see our families,
who had been captured and taken away from us.
General Miles said to me:
"The
President of the United States has sent me to speak to you. He has
heard of your trouble with the white men, and says that if you will
agree to a few words of treaty we need have no more trouble. Geronimo,
if you will agree to a few words of treaty all will be satisfactorily
arranged."
So General Miles told me how we could be brothers to each other.
We raised our hands to heaven and said that the treaty was not to
be broken. We took an oath not to do any wrong to each other or
to scheme against each other.
Then
he talked with me for a long time and told me what he would do for
me in the future if I would agree to the treaty. I did not greatly
believe General Miles, but because the President of the United States
had sent me word I agreed to make the treaty, and to keep it. Then
I asked General Miles what the treaty would be. General Miles said
to me:
"I
will take you under Government protection; I will build you a house;
I will fence you much land; I will give you cattle, horses, mules,
and farming implements. You will be furnished with men to work the
farm, for you yourself will not have to work. In the fall I will
send you blankets and clothing so that you will not suffer from
cold in the winter time.
"There
is plenty of timber, water, and grass in the land to which I will
send you. You will live with your tribe and with your family.
If you agree to this treaty you shall see your family within five
days."
I said to General Miles:
"All
the officers that have been in charge of the Indians have talked
that way, and it sounds like a story to me; I hardly believe you."
He said:
"This
time it is the truth."
I said:
"General
Miles, I do not know the laws of the white man, nor of this new
country where you are to send me, and I might break the laws."
He said:
"While
I live you will not be arrested."
Then I agreed to make the treaty. (Since then I have been a prisoner
of war, I have been arrested and placed in the guardhouse twice
for drinking whisky.)
We stood between his troopers and my warriors. We placed a large
stone on the blanket before us. Our treaty was made by this stone,
as it was to last until the stone should crumble to dust; so we
made the treaty, and bound each other with an oath.
I do not believe that I have ever violated that treaty; but General
Miles never fulfilled his promises.
When we had made the treaty General Miles said to me:
"My
brother, you have in your mind how you are going to kill me, and
other thoughts of war; I want you to put that out of your mind,
and change your thoughts to peace."
Then I agreed and gave up my arms. I said:
"I
will quit the war path and live at peace here after."
Then General Miles swept a spot of ground clear with his hand, and
said:
"Your
past deeds shall be wiped out like this and you will start a new
life."
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