Geronimo’s Story of His Life

Endnotes

See Chapter IV. ↩
Usen is the Apache word for God. It is used here because it implies the attributes of deity that are held in their primitive religion. Apache means “Enemy.” ↩
The boundary lines established at different times between Mexico and the United States did not conform to the boundary lines of these Apache tribes, of course, and the Indians soon saw and took advantage of the international questions arising from the conflicting interests of the two governments. ↩
The Apache Indian held prisoners of war are greatly decreasing in numbers. There seems to be no particular cause, but nevertheless their numbers grow smaller. ↩
Four is a magic number with the Bedonkohe Apaches. The dragon had four coats of scales; he took little Apache’s meat four times; they (the dragon and Apache) exchanged four shots⁠—the dragon rolled down four precipices. There are four moccasins used in the tribal game of Kah, and only four plays that can be made. A boy must accompany the warriors four times on the warpath before he can be admitted to the council.

Geronimo is the fourth of a family of four boys and four girls. He has had four wives that were full-blood Bedonkohe Apaches, and four that were part Bedonkohe Apache and part other Apache blood. Four of his children have been killed by Mexicans and four have been held in bondage by the U.S. Government. He firmly believes in destiny and in the magic of the number four. Besides Geronimo, only four full-blood Bedonkohe Apaches are now living. They are Porico (White Horse), Nah-da-ste, Moh-ta-neal, and To-klon-nen. ↩
The Apaches did not smoke the peace pipe, unless it was proposed by some other Indians. They had no large pipes; in fact, they usually smoked cigarettes made by rolling the tobacco in wrappers of oak leaves. ↩
The only foundation for the statement, frequently made, that Geronimo was a medicine man. ↩
The Apaches recognized no duties to any man outside their tribe. It was no sin to kill enemies or to rob them. However, if they accepted any favor from a stranger, or allowed him to share their comforts in any way, he became (by adoption) related to the tribe and they must recognize their duty to him. ↩
Maco was chief of the Nedni Apaches. His son (Geronimo’s father) had married a Bedonkohe Apache (Geronimo’s mother) and joined her tribe, thereby losing his right to rule by heredity. By this it will be seen Geronimo could not become chief by hereditary right, although his grandfather was a chieftain. It is also shown that Geronimo’s father could not be chief, hence the accession of Mangus-Colorado. ↩
The Apaches will not keep any of the property of a deceased relative. Their unwritten tribal laws forbid it, because they think that otherwise the children or other relatives of one who had much property might be glad when their father or relatives died. ↩
Beads were obtained from the Mexicans. The Apaches also got money from the Mexicans, but deemed it of no value, and either gave it to their children to play with or threw it away. ↩
According to custom he should not have kept the property of his deceased relatives, but he was not compelled to destroy his own teepee or the playthings of his children. ↩
Strips of buckskin about two inches wide fastened around the head. ↩
At this time the Mexican Government offered a reward in gold for Apache scalps⁠—one hundred dollars for warrior’s scalp, fifty dollars for squaw’s scalp, and twenty-five dollars for child’s scalp. ↩
From the moment the command for war is given with the Apaches everything assumes a religious guise. The manner of camping, cooking, etc., are exactly prescribed. Every object appertaining to war is called by its sacred name; as if, for instance, in English, one should say not horse, but warhorse or charger; not arrow, but missile of death. The Indian is not called by his ordinary name, but by a sacred name to which is subjoined “brave” or “chief” as the case may be. Geronimo’s Indian name was Go-khlä-yeh, but the Mexicans at this battle called him Geronimo, a name he has borne ever since both among the Indians and white men. ↩
Geronimo had married again. ↩
They had never eaten bacon and did not learn to do so for a long time. Even now they will not eat bacon or pork if they can get other meat. Geronimo positively refuses to eat bacon or pork. ↩
The interpreter, Asa, son of Whoa, remembers a little captive Mexican girl who used to play with the Apache children, but was finally exchanged.

One of Geronimo’s wives and her child were killed at this time, and thenceforth until he became a prisoner of war he had two wives. He might have had as many wives as he wished, but he says that he was so busy fighting Mexicans that he could not support more than two. ↩
Forty-five miles. ↩
Mescal is a fiery liquor produced in Mexico from several species of agave. ↩
Gulf of California. ↩
It is impossible to get Geronimo to understand that these troops served the general government instead of any particular town. He still thinks each town independent and each city a separate tribe. He cannot understand the relation of cities to the general government. ↩
Geronimo has a fair knowledge of the Spanish language. ↩
As a tribe they would fight under their tribal chief, Mangus-Colorado. If several tribes had been called out, the war chief, Geronimo, would have commanded. ↩
Regarding this attack, Mr. L. C. Hughes, editor of The Star, Tucson, Arizona, to whom I was referred by General Miles, writes as follows:

“It appears that Cochise and his tribe had been on the warpath for some time and he with a number of subordinate chiefs was brought into the military camp at Bowie under the promise that a treaty of peace was to be held, when they were taken into a large tent where handcuffs were put upon them. Cochise, seeing this, cut his way through the tent and fled to the mountains; and in less than six hours had surrounded the camp with from three to five hundred warriors; but the soldiers refused to make fight.”

↩
This sweeping statement is more general than we are willing to concede, yet it may be more nearly true than our own accounts. ↩
General Miles telegraphed from Whipple Barracks, Arizona, Sept. 24, 1886, relative to the surrender of the Apaches. Among other things he said: “Mangus-Colorado had years ago been foully murdered after he had surrendered.” ↩
Geronimo often calls his horses to him in Fort Sill Reservation. He gives only one shrill note and they run to him at full speed. ↩
Regarding the killing of Mangus-Colorado, L. C. Hughes of the Tucson, Ariz., Star, writes as follows:

“It was early in the year ’63, when General West and his troops were camped near Membras, that he sent Jack Swilling, a scout, to bring in Mangus, who had been on the warpath ever since the time of the incident with Cochise at Bowie. The old chief was always for peace, and gladly accepted the proffer; when he appeared at the camp General West ordered him put into the guardhouse, in which there was only a small opening in the rear and but one small window. As the old chief entered he said: ‘This is my end. I shall never again hunt over the mountains and through the valleys of my people.’ He felt that he was to be assassinated. The guards were given orders to shoot him if he attempted to escape. He lay down and tried to sleep, but during the night, someone threw a large stone which struck him in the breast. He sprang up and in his delirium the guards thought he was attempting escape and several of them shot him; this was the end of Mangus.

“His head was severed from his body by a surgeon, and the brain taken out and weighed. The head measured larger than that of Daniel Webster, and the brain was of corresponding weight. The skull was sent to Washington, and is now on exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution.”

↩
General O. O. Howard was not in command, but had been sent by President Grant, in 1872, to make peace with the Apache Indians. The general wrote me from Burlington, Vt., under date of June 12, 1906, that he remembered the treaty, and that he also remembered with much satisfaction subsequently meeting Geronimo. —⁠Editor ↩
They do not receive full rations now, as they did then. ↩
Victoria, chief of the Hot Spring Apaches, met his death in opposing the forcible removal of his band to a reservation, because having previously tried and failed he felt it impossible for separate bands of Apaches to live at peace under such arrangement. ↩
Geronimo’s whole family, excepting his eldest son, a warrior, were captured. ↩
Geronimo’s exact words, for which the Editor disclaims any responsibility. ↩
These are the exact words of Geronimo. The Editor is not responsible for this criticism of General Crook. ↩
Governor Torres of Sonora had agreed to cooperate with our troops in exterminating or capturing this tribe. ↩
Captain Lawton reports officially the same engagement, but makes no mention of the recapture (by the Apaches) of the horses. ↩
See note 37. ↩
See here. ↩
For terms of treaty see here. ↩
The criticisms of General Miles in the foregoing chapter are from Geronimo, not from the Editor. ↩
Mr. George Wratton is now at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, acting as Superintendent of Apaches. He has been with the Apaches as interpreter and superintendent since their surrender. ↩
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.” ↩
These field glasses were taken from soldiers and officers (Mexicans and Americans) whom the Apaches had killed. ↩
This was a stick nest built on top of the ground by a species of woods rat. ↩
These are not the words of the Editor, but of Geronimo. ↩
They were in Alabama from May, 1888, to October, 1894. ↩
The Indians are not allowed to sell the cattle themselves. When cattle are ready for market they are sold by the officer in charge, part of the money paid to the Indians who owned them and part of it placed in a general (Apache) fund. The supplies, farming implements, etc., for the Apaches are paid for from this fund. ↩
The criticism of Lieutenant Purington is from Geronimo. The Editor disclaims any responsibility for it, as in all cases where individuals are criticised by the old warrior. ↩
Geronimo helps make hay and care for the cattle, but does not receive orders from the Superintendent of the Indians. ↩
Apache warriors do not go “courting” as our youths do. The associations in the villages afford ample opportunity for acquaintance, and the arranging for marriages is considered a business transaction, but the courtesy of consulting the maiden, although not essential, is considered very polite. ↩
Turks. ↩
Ferris wheel. ↩
Shooting the Chute. ↩
Iggorrotes from the Philippines. ↩
Geronimo was also taken to both the Omaha and the Buffalo Expositions, but during that period of his life he was sullen and took no interest in things. The St. Louis Exposition was held after he had adopted the Christian religion and had begun to try to understand our civilization. ↩
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. ↩