Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-05-13
A French Savant.

Il
Pinnart whose presence in Tucson in
February last and whose purposes IN
Arizona were noted at the time in THE
CITIZEN. We find the following ex-
tended reference to this gentleman, in
the San Francisco Bulletin, of April
70. Many of our people became &C
quainted with Mr.. Pinnart, and al
though he was very quiet and retiring
in his manner, his evident requirements
and ability, with his modesty of pre-
tensions, attracted attention and favor
able impression, and the extrac, may
prove interesting to our readers. The
Bulletin says:
VI. Alphonso Pinnart, French
scientist, connected with one or more
of the leading scientific associations of
Paris, has some months been quietly
pursuing his investigations in the de
partments Of ethnOlogy and philOlogy
ofliving and extinct races on the Pacific
coast. There Is hardly j mound ofany
consequence, from Alaska to Mexico,
that has not attracted his attention.
We first heard of him in Alaska, where
he spent many months in the same
line of Investigations. He constructed
a large dictionary of the language of
the Alcuts, including all the words
spoken by that people in ordinary con
versation. He also reduced to writing
many thousand words of the abOrigines
of that country, and made an extensive
collection of the stone implements of
the prehistoric age and of the skulls
of unknown races. The Russian Occu-
patton of Alaska was traced back as
far as any record could be found
Probably 10 scientific man has made
so thorough and patient an investigation
of all that relates to ethnOlogy and
phIlology in that country as VI. Pinnart
All the implements considered of i'm
portance as illustrating the history of
extinct races are sent TO Paris. His in
vestigatiOns are published from time to
time under the auspices of the society
for which he acts. The skulls are
figured in plates of large size, and no
fact illustrating the ethnOlOgy of Indian
races, or of prehistoric races loses its
place in his records. In comparative
phIlology NJ Pinnart pursues his in
vestigations by going among the Ind
ians. living with them and patiently
from day to day a word at a
time. until his vocabulary in completed
After VI. Pinnart's return from Alaska
he spent a few weeks in examining the
the mounds in this State, particularly
in the Tulare Valley, which is rich in
relics. He reserved Cali
fornia as his home field, and in the
interim went to Arizona, where he has
been making researches for nearly five
mGnths. He has just returned from
this last tour with very rich collec-
ton of relics of the stone age. NJ Pin
mart spent much of his time among the
Apaches, who, on the whole, treated
him very well. lie was able to make a
dictionary of their language consisting
OF about 1000 words, which be regards
Of considerable importance in com
parative philology. He does not think
highly of the Apaches Physically
they are a low type even of Indian
races, as the skulls which the scientist
collected show clearly enough.
VI. Pinnart followed up the valley of
the ella to the boundary of New Mex
leo, made the acquaintance of the Pima
Indians, of whom he has good Opin-
ion, prosecuted for many weeks his in
vestigationS among the ruins of extinct
cities which abound in the ella Valley
and along its tributaries. The par
ticulars of his Investigations he is now
Incorporating IN his report which be Is
making to the Paris Society. Many of
these are Withheld until they have been
transmitted to headquarters. But his
researches were crowned with abund-
ant success. VI. Pinnart brought up
number Of boxes containing prehistoric
relics, stone knives, arrows, mOrtars,
skulls, and whatever was of special in
terest in his special lines Of investiga-
ton. After resting and sending off his
reports he will 90 once more to Alaska,
which he deems d very interesting field
for his researches. NJ Pinnart, among
other labors, has collected complete
documentary history not only of the
Russians in Alaska, but of the Russian
occupation of California. Probably he
has a more complete knowledge of the
Russian occupation ofthis country than
anv resident Of this coast.
1t Will urn out probably that the
most interesting discoveries ever made
by a single individual on this coast in
the departments or philology and eth
noloCv have been made by NJ Pinnart,
and that the accounts will be first pub
lished under the auspices of Society
of savants in Paris.