Note I'-23 — Chapter I · ITINERARY: THROUGH NEW MEXICO ON THE RIO GRANDE TO EL PASO, FEB. 27TH-MAR. 21ST, 1807.

The Black mts. of Pike's text, Sierra Obscura of his map, are in the series of ranges along the E. side of the Rio Grande, at varying but always considerable distances. These are in general but not exact continuation of the San Diaz or Sandia mts., and take, in different parts of their extent, other names, as Cerro Manzano, Cerro Montoso, etc.; the name Sierra Oscura or Black range being now restricted to a short chain between the Chupadera mesa on the N. and the San Andreas chain on the S. Though there is of course no such linear continuity of these ranges as Pike's Sierra Obscura seems to represent, yet I think Pike hit off the mountains wonderfully well, considering the stealthy circumstances under which he observed them. All through "the captivity" in New Spain he had to make his notes furtively, and then conceal them—in other words, he stole and hid away his information. His Sierra Obscura is all the better delineated by his marking certain southern portions of the chain with the names "Sierra de el Sacramento" and "Sierra de Guadelupe"—these being ranges which he was never near, if in fact he ever laid eyes on them. They are those called to-day the Sacramento and Guadalupe ranges, trending S. E. toward the Rio Pecos, down to lat. 32° or thereabouts; they are special southward extensions of the huge nest of mountains which bound for a great distance the water-shed of the Pecos, and are broken into many lesser ranges and peaks, as the White range (Sierra Blanca), the Nogal, Capitan, Carrizo, Jicarilla, etc. In perhaps no point is Pike's (qu: Humboldt's?) map clearer than where he runs his "Montagnes de Salines" N. between his Sierra Obscura on the E. and the Rio Grande on the W.; for this is the San Andreas range, which extends continuously southward from the Sierra Oscura of present geography, and whose southern portions now bear the names of the Organ and Franklin mts., ending only near El Paso. The Organ mts. were better and have been long known by the Spanish name of Sierra de los Organos, exactly as lettered by Pike. This curious name originated in the fancied resemblance of the columnar trap formations to the pipes of an organ. Wislizenus and Hughes both call them the "Organic" mts. Their fastnesses were favorite and habitual lurking-places of the Mescalero Apaches—those murderous freebooters and desperadoes who used to descend upon the peaceful pueblos and the Spanish settlements. "The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold," and so did the Apache, not only from the Organ mts. and other parts of the San Andreas or Salinas range, but also from all the mountains above mentioned as lying further east. Observe that Pike thrice locates Apaches among these mountains, lettering "Apaches Faraone," "Apaches Mescaleros," and "Apaches Mescalorez." He also locates what he calls "Indiens Ietans"; these are the Comanches, usually given in his text as "Tetaus," who played the part of Vandals to the Goths of the Apaches—twin scourges during the whole historic period and down to our own day, under the leadership of chiefs whose characters recall the popular impressions of Attila the Hun. The only serious criticism to be passed on this part of Pike's map is the way he runs a great river in the country of his Ietans and Mescaleros, between his Sierra Obscura and his Montagnes de Salines, i. e., in the deserts E. of his San Andreas range and W. of the other mountains. But this is simply his misapprehension of such information as he had of the course of the Pecos; for his "Rio Puerto" is a mistake for Rio Puerco, and this was a long current though mistaken name of the Pecos, to be found on various maps and in different itineraries of comparatively recent dates. It is hardly necessary to add that the Pecos lies eastward of all the mountains now under consideration; there is no such river where Pike lays down his "Rio Puerto." That region is a horrid desert, where such waters as may start from the mountains on either hand soon run out by evaporation and absorption, or lose themselves in those salty sinks and alkaline wastes whence originated, in fact, the former name of "Saline" or "Salinas" mts. for the San Andreas range.

As to the "Mountains of Magdalen" of Pike's text: We observe that he maps two isolated elevations on his right, W. of the Rio Grande, respectively lettered "Sierra Magillez" and "Sierra Christopher." These clearly correspond to two of the most conspicuous elevations, Mt. Magdalen and Old Baldy, of the range which continues to be known as that of the Magdalen mts. or Sierra Magdalena. These are a short but high range directly W. of the county town Socorro, whence a branch of the railroad now runs into them to the place called Magdalena. This range rises 20 m. and more from the river; in this interval a series of lesser elevations stretches northward, taking at successive points the names of Socorro, Limitar, Polvadero, and Ladron—the two last of these being separated by the arroyo of the Rio Salado, coming to the Rio Grande from the W. in the vicinity of the Joya cañon from the E.

The position of Pike's camp of the 12th is not easily determined, as he gives no mileage and names no place. But it was not far below Socorro, and perhaps in the close vicinity of Bosquecito. His Sierra Christopher (W. of the river) is to be carefully distinguished from what he further on calls the "mountain of the Friar Christopher," i. e., Fra Cristobal, on the E. of the river: see note²⁵, pp. 635, 636, and note³⁰, p. 639.

When Pike passed a couple of miles below Parida, on the E. side of the Rio Grande, he had to climb a steep hill close to the river. From the top of this there is a fine view to be had of various places. Nearly opposite is Socorro, on the W. bank; Limitar is visible, 6 or 8 m. higher up on that side; while about 4 m. below is the site of the ruins of Las Huertas (the Orchards). Socorro was long one of the largest and most important places on the Rio Grande. It had a population of 2,000 about the middle of this century.