Captain Jack's Stronghold

Our trip took us to California on Thursday.  We decided to visit the Lava Beds National Park in Northern California.  Our visit had both a geological and historical aspect.  We approached the historical site first.  In the mid 19th century Ameican settlers came into conflict with Native American tribes living in the area around Tule Lake and the Klamath Valley.  The solution of the American government was a treaty which gave reservation land to the Native Americans and to allow settlers to occupy other land.  The problem was that the reservation was on Klamath homeland which was to be shared between the Klamath and the Modoc.  Unfortunately these two tribes were traditional enemies, so they didn't share the reservation well.  In addition the land given to the settlers was the ancestral land of the Modocs around Tule Lake.  The chief's son decided that he would not accept the situation, and took his followers back to their homeland.  He holed up in a nest of volcanic rock which made a strong defensive location. With 60 men and their families he was able to hold off US troops 5 times larger for five months until they were finally defeated in 1873.  

We climbed around the rocks and marveled at the persistence and ingenuity of these brave people, and the injustice done to them.