A Legend of the Flores Family
Hidalgo and Salazar with assistance had solicited the aid of the Flores families of Saltillo, some of whom were merchants and others owners of landed estates. The merchants supplied the mission de Los Delores with trade supplies.
Through Bernardino, Sub-chief of the Hasinai Indians, Hidalgo learned of a meeting place called Campti, where each Fall of every year all of the tribes of the Caddo Federation of Indians gathered for sports and trading purposes. (Campti was the name of the Chief of the Natchitoches tribe who had organized this meeting, held on a great sand-bar near present-day Campti, Louisiana). These meetings were of a secret nature and not sanctioned by the Spanish Government, and the tradition of their occurrence had remained with the Flores family. Hidalgo prevailed on the Flores family, who knew the value of land and what it could produce for settlers, to assist him by sending men to go on a trading expedition to the Campti. Bernardino was to act as guide.
Ramone Flores and a cousin, Joseph Colliea, were designated by the elder Flores to go and assist the Spanish priests. These two made four trips in the Fall of the years 1708, 1709, 1710 and 1711 to the Sand-bar near Campti, Louisiana.