José — page 258: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JOSE. | 251 with aredskin where the question of his indepen- dence was involved. I possessed what they mostly admire—physical strength and braveness; they hunted with me, they honored me, they dubbed me Iron Fist, from the knob which I had had attached to the stump of my arm and arranged so as to serve me in many capacities, besides proving an admi- rable weapon—yet that was the limit of my influence. They were incensed against the white settlements steadily extending their incursions into their land, and failure attended every effort made to induce them to found permanent habitations and practice agriculture. Many fierce encounters ensued with the settlers and the soldiers of Fort Leavenworth, and when I sought to point out to them the folly of their proceedings and the inevitability of their final ruin, near as they were to a vast white population, I was regarded as a traitor who would bear watching. One night three whites were found dead with their skulls crushed. The manner of the outrage plainlv indicated the Indians, and the commandant an- nounced his intention to have the murderers de- livered into his keeping. Accordingly he sent for me and demanded that I should guide the soldiers to the lair of the Indians. I realized what was in- tended. To adjust the murder by means of another of twenty times the atrocity. I informed the officer that I was going to Missouri the following morning. This was true. I had hit upon a plan which should in the future result in the safety of the whites and bring the Indians to their senses. Late that night I found the place of gathering of the Kickapoos. I met a larger congregation than I had anticipated, and was hailed with loud cries of delight. What had passed between me and the commandant was Eomichbooks (E(0)