LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

[Celebration of the Opening of the Museum at Fort Jesup, 1959] Frontispiece [Map Showing Locations of Members of Caddo Indian Federation] XV [Map of El Camino Real from Mexico City to Natchitoches] XVI [Hinta-sak—a Caddo house] 8 [Hinta-sak—top view showing construction] 9 [Plan of Fort at Natchitoches, 1733] 17 [Plan of La Presidio Nuestra Senora de los Delores, 1716] 19 [Mission of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais, 1717] 21 [Map Showing Location of Mission and Presidio of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais] 22 [Plan of Presidio De San Antonio De Bexar] 24 [Plan of Fort Del Pilar De Los Adais] 26 [La Presidio Nuestra De Senora Del Pilar De Los Adais] 28 [Map of Natchitoches by Breutin, 1722] 30 [Map Showing Neutral Strip] 87 [Map of Fort Jesup Defense Area] 102 [Map of the Buildings of Fort Jesup] 107 [Map of Area Around Camp Sabine, 1836] 113 [Old Ambroise Sompayrac House at Natchitoches] 124

WRAP AROUND Opposite Page [Fort St. Jean Des Natchitoches] 116 [Old Kitchen at Fort Jesup] 117 [Officers’ Quarters at Fort Jesup—Reproduction] 132 [Original Plans of Fort Jesup] 133 [Officers’ Quarters—Another view] 133

LOCATIONS OF THE CADDO FEDERATION OF INDIANS.

EL CAMINO REAL—NATCHITOCHES TO MEXICO CITY

1. Mission San Maria de Los Delores 1698.
2. Mission San Francisco Solano 1700.
3. Presidio San Juan Bautustia near 1685.
4. Mission San Bernardo 1690.
5. Mission San Jose 1722.
6. Mission San Exavier Naxere 1722.
7. Presidio San Antonio de Bexer 1722.
8. Mission Yo Juan 1709.
9. Mission de Bucareli 1714.
10. Mission San Francisco 1690.
11. Mission San Maria 1690.
12. Mission San Francisco 1690.
12.a. Mission Guadlupe 1716.
13. Presidio de Los Texas 1716.
14. Mission Conception 1716.
15. Mission San Jose 1716.
16. Mission de Los Delores 1717.
17. Mission de San Miguel Cuellar de Los Adais 1717.
18. Presidio Neustra del Pilar de Los Adais 1721.
19. Post St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches 1714.

I
EL CAMINO REAL

Each fall of the year the buffalo came out of the Great Plains through Oklahoma and into Texas. At the Trinity River in Texas many of these herds turned eastward to cross the Sabine River into Louisiana, to travel ever eastward and to cross the Red River in the Natchitoches area. The buffalo, being a heavy beast, left a well-marked trail from the Trinity River to the Red River in the Natchitoches area. The buffalo trail now became part of the Caddo Indian Trail system. And later it became El Camino Real.

In Spanish, the words “El Camino Real” mean “The King’s Road.” That is the exact translation of these words. In Spain, even before the time of the discovery of America, there were several roads or highways listed as El Camino Real. All roads leading to the city in which the King of Spain resided were known as El Camino Real. Actually, the meaning to the Spanish people of the words “El Camino Real” meant The Road to the King, hence El Camino Real, The King’s Road. So here in America when Mexico was conquered and settled by the Spaniards and Mexico City came into being, expeditions were sent out to conquer this new land for the King of Spain. In all directions from Mexico City, Ranchos, Missions and Presidios were established and all roads leading from these establishments back to Mexico City—to the Viceroy, who was the direct representative of the King—were called El Camino Real because these roads led to the Viceroy who was actually the King and Ruler of this New Country.

This El Camino Real, which we in Louisiana and Texas are interested in, began in Mexico City and ended at the “Old Darkey” Statue, at the North end of Front Street in the City of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Some say that El Camino Real begins in San Antonio, Texas, and ends in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I believe this is wrong because the very name of the Road, “El Camino Real, the Road to the King,” bears out my theory. I will explain: if one left Natchitoches (I speak of the time when Louisiana was under Spanish domination) and wished to go to the King by El Camino Real, or to the one who directly represented the King in this new country, he would have had to travel to Mexico City and there tell his troubles to the Viceroy, the direct representative of the King of Spain. This would have been between the years 1762 when France gave Louisiana to Spain, and ten years later when Los Adais was abandoned and the site of government moved to Natchitoches, thus filling in the last gap on the Road now known as El Camino Real, (the section of road from Los Adais near Robeline, Louisiana to Natchitoches). Until the year 1762 Los Adais was the site of Government of the “Tejas,” or “Texas Country.” This area extended from the Presidio Del Norte, as the French called this Spanish Outpost on the Rio Grande River, or El Presidio San Juan Bautista, as it was known to the Spanish. Now, let us pick up the traveler again who had business with the King, past Los Adais, Nacogdoches, San Antonio, the Presidio Del Norte, Saltillo and Queretaro and then to Mexico City and the Viceroy, whose word was final on all matters concerning the Government and the people, and, of course, that covered everything.