Bent County register. (Lamar, Colo.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-12
Discovery OF g.zs's FAX.
A History That is Full Of
Thrilling Interest.
WRITTEN BY MAJOR PIKE.
Book That Was Printed In 1871, when
Colorado Was Part of Louisiana
Major Pixe's Diary
Extracts

mr. W H. Lawrence, the Six
teenth street bookseller, has in his
possession remarkable volume, en-
titled Exploratory Travels Through
the Western Territories of North
America This book vas published
in London IN 1911. Zebulou Mont
gomery Pike, Major of the Sixth
Regiment of the United States In
fantry, was the author of this novel
work, which contains the description
of "a voyage from ST. Louis, on the
Mississippi, TO the source of that
river, and journey through the in
terror of Louisiana and the northeast
ern provinces of New Spain, perform
ed in the year 1905, 1906 and 1907"
A map of Louisiana, which at thar
time included part of Colorado, is
one of the features, presenting an odd
appearance compared with those of
the present day.
MAJOR PIKE AND PARTY.
Major Pike, after whom Pixies
peak was named, with his party, evl-
IDENTIFY encountered many difficulties
in this exploration, the primitive
means at hand and the Wild romantic
country making progress slow mat.
ter. On the afternoon of Friday,
August 9, 1905, Major Pike sailed
from ST. Louis up the Mississippi
river IN company with one Sergeant,
two Corporals and seventeen privates
in = keel boat After many adven-
tures and prIvstions usual TO long ex-
peditions, they reached the source of
the Mississippi on Friday, January
ST. 1906, and clmped on Lake Wini
iir (Ninnepecl. Crossing over Ia
th- Missouri river and following thar
-irunu- stream they passed up the
kav (kausas) river and ultimately
reached the territory now known as
Colorado, but at that time embraced
III the Spanish Provinces.
FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE ROCKIES.
The following extracts, copied
from this Interesting volume, give a
vivid description of the impression
VI ior Pike experienced on discover
ing the rocky range: Saturday, No
vember Is. 1906. Marched early;
passed two deep creeles, and many
high points of rocks; alro large herds
of buffalos. At o'clock in the af-
ternoop thought could distinguish
4 mountain to our right, which ap
pearei like a small blue cloud, view
ed with the spy-glass. When our
small party arrived on the hill we
gave three cheers for the Mexican
Mountains. Their appearance can
-asilv be imagined by those who
have crossed the Alleghanies, but
their sides were white, as if covered
with snow. Tney proved to be
spur of the grand western chain of
mountains winch divide the waters
of the Pacific from the Atlantic
Ocean. They seemed to presen.
boundary between the province of
Louisiana and North Mexico, and
would be a defined and natural limit.
We commenced ascending; found
the way very difficult, being obliged
TO climb up rocks sometimes almost
perpendicular, and after marching all
day, we encamped in 3 cave, without
blankets, victuals or water. We had
a fine, clear sky though it was snow
ing at the bottom. On the side of
the mountain, we found only yellow
and pitch pine; some distance up we
saw buffalo, and higher still, the new
specie. of deer and pheasant.
DISCOVERY OF PIKE's PEAK.
.Thursday. November 27, 1905.
Arose hungry, thirsty and extremely
sore from the unevenness of the rocks
on which he had lain all night, but
were amply compensated by the sub-
limi,y of the prospects below. The
unbounded prairie vas overbung
with clouds which appeared like the
ocean IN a storm, wave piled on wave,
ard foaning, whilst the sky over our