Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-08-17
STORY OF A SAVANT
Accordingly Interesting Interview
with DR., Coues, Physician, Nat
uralist and Historian.
ABOUT PIXIES ADVENTURES
Account of the Intrepid Western Ex-
plorers Trip to New Mexico's
Capital Under Spanish Guards
IN 1906
in 1906.

ICAN, Il few days ago, that DR.. and Mrs.
Elliott Coues, of Washington, d. c..
were guests at the Palace hotel in San
TIA Fe, intending to remain in the his
toric capital for several weeks.
Realizing that DR.. Coues had not only
attained national prominence as a
naturalist and historian, but was here
for the purpose of personally gathering
material for a new work on western his
tory, a reporter sought and was accord
ed a most satisfactory interview with
the distinguished and genial gentleman.
At the outset the doctor explained
that he first visited Santa Fe "a years
ago as Il surgeon in the United States
army, General Carleton then being in
command here. and was so charmed
with the climate and surrounding seen
cry that he had always felt a longing to
return when he could give his whole
time to rest, refreshment and study.
Those are now my Objects said he,
land mean to make the most of my
present rare opportunity
For many years" continued the doc
tor, 81 have made the study of western
history INT of my specialties, having al
ready published with Francis p. Har-
per, of New York. IS volumes relating
to the subject, and now having in con-
temptation the publication of an entire
ly new and critical work on the same
topic. Here find that | cannot only rest
most enjoyably, but can catch the local
color and possess myself of much fresh
information for my forthcoming work.
which will deal almost exclusively with
the history of Colorado, New Mexico
and Arizona. Hence my presence among
you.
Ives, said the doctor, in reply to a
query, II edited the latest edition of the
writings of Pike, for whom Pixies Peak
was named, descriptive of his explora-
tions and adventures in the far west.
This edition, in three royal octave VOL
umes, was published in New York by
Francis p. Harper in 1895. The first
edition of the same work was published
in Philadelphia in 1910, followed soon
after by al English edition in London
and the publication of translations in
French, German and Dutch
At the earnest solicitation of the re-
porter, DR.. Coues %concisely and enter
tainingly related the story of Pixies
pioneer trip through New Mexico in es-
sentially the following language:
SIN 1906, Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Il
lieutenant of the 1st U. S. infantry, was
sent by General James Wilkinson. COM
mander-in-chief of the army. on u west
err expedition. His ostensible orders
were. among other things, " to approxi-
mate to the Spanish possessions and dis
cover The then unknown sources Of the
Red Tor Canadian river. His secret in
structions have never been divulgcd: but
as Wilkinson was in the Aaron Burr con-
spiracy, it is supposed Pike was sent to
find out what he could about New Spain.
"After various adventures in Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Colorado, Pike en-
tered the San Louis Valley by way of
the Sandhill Pass through the Sangre
de Cristo mountains, and proceeded to
establish himself on the Rio Conejos,
about five miles above its confluence
with the Rio Grande. He believed, or
professed to believe, that he was on Il
tributary of the Red river, and built q
fertilization. This was in January, 1907.
Here he was discovered by some Span
ish scouts, who reported his occupation
of Spanish territory with an armed
force to the governor of New Mexico,
Joachim del Real Alencester. A few
days afterward a troop of Spanish dra-
goons appeared with a polite invitation
from the governor for Pike to visit him
at Santa Fe. This was, in fact, the ar
rest and capture of Pike and his men
for invading Spanish territory. Pike
yielded to the force of circumstances.
hauled down his flag on being informed
that he was on the Rio Grande and not
Red river, and with six of his men
started on his journey IN February 81,
1907.
His route down the valley was prac-
tically coincident with that of the rail-
road as far as Tres Piedras, whence it
continued somewhat further westward,
through Ojo Caliente to Chamita, there
crossing the Rio Grande to San Juan.
and so on southwark by the main road
to Santa Fe, which he reached the first
week in March.
"Here he was brought to book by the
governor, and forced to give an account
of himself, in one of the rooms of the
old palace building on the north side of
the plaza. Pike answered up pretty
sharply, but his excuses for being found
on Spanish territory seem to have been
unsatisfactory. He was ordered by
Alencaster to proceed as n prisoner to
report to General Nemesio Salcedo at
Chihuahua, and to that end was put in
charge of Don Facundo Malgaves, then
an officer of the Spanish army, after
ward governor of New Mexico. Pike
was escorted by Malgaves down the
Rio Grande to ri pasO. thence nv the