My Position in Reference to the Treatment of Indians.

It has been my endeavor in writing this book to relate incidents as they
actually occurred and of my own personal knowledge and observation. My
experience with the Indians and my observations with their natural
traits and characteristics convinces me that the white man has not, in
most instances, been willing to do him justice and has subjected him to
a great deal of unmerited abuse and persecution. The outbreaks by the
Indians in all instances that came under my observation were brought
about by the ill treatment of the whites. The Indians were always very
reluctant to avenge themselves upon the whites for the wrongs done them.

The Indians have been driven from their hunting grounds until many times
they were unable to secure food and were upon the verge of starvation.
Naturally, then, they would approach the wagons of the white men, go to
their settlements or follow the stage coaches and emigrant trains in the
hope of securing something to eat. The whites would often become
unnecessarily alarmed and attempt to frighten them away by killing one
or more of their number. As a result of this the Indians would be
aroused and take to the warpath and attempt to avenge the death of their
lost warrior by killing a white man wherever he chanced to find one.

I have known such instances as this to occur many times and had I not
exercised every care to avoid hostilities and establish peaceful
relations between myself and my passengers and the Indians I would no
doubt have met with a similar experience in some of my trips along the
Santa Fe Trail.