at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, acting as
Superintendent of Apaches. He has been with the Apaches as interpreter
and superintendent since their surrender.

[43] Recently Mr. Melton told Geronimo of this conversation. The wily
old chief laughed shyly and said, "What if Prewitt's pistol had been
knocked out of his hand? Other men have tried to shoot me and at least
some of them failed. But I'm glad he didn't try it."

[44] These field glasses were taken from soldiers and officers (Mexicans
and Americans) whom the Apaches had killed.

[45] This was a stick nest built on top of the ground by a species of
woods rat.

CHAPTER XIX

A PRISONER OF WAR

When I had given up to the Government they put me on the Southern
Pacific Railroad and took me to San Antonio, Texas, and held me to be
tried by their laws.

In forty days they took me from there to Fort Pickens (Pensacola),
Florida. Here they put me to sawing up large logs. There were several
other Apache warriors with me, and all of us had to work every day. For
nearly two years we were kept at hard labor in this place and we did not
see our families until May, 1887. This treatment was in direct violation
of our treaty made at Skeleton Canon.

After this we were sent with our families to Vermont, Alabama, where we
stayed five years and worked for the Government. We had no property,
and I looked in vain for General Miles to send me to that land of which
he had spoken; I longed in vain for the implements, house, and stock
that General Miles had promised me.

During this time one of my warriors, Fun, killed himself and his wife.
Another one shot his wife and then shot himself. He fell dead, but the
woman recovered and is still living.

We were not healthy in this place, for the climate disagreed with us. So
many of our people died that I consented to let one of my wives go to
the Mescalero Agency in New Mexico to live. This separation is according
to our custom equivalent to what the white people call divorce, and so
she married again soon after she got to Mescalero. She also kept our two
small children, which she had a right to do. The children, Lenna and
Robbie, are still living at Mescalero, New Mexico. Lenna is married. I
kept one wife, but she is dead now and I have only our daughter Eva
with me. Since my separation from Lenna's mother I have never had more
than one wife at a time. Since the death of Eva's mother I married
another woman (December, 1905) but we cou