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.
The Caddo Federation of Indians
The southeastern part of Oklahoma, the southwestern part of Arkansas, the Northwestern half of Louisiana and the Northeastern part of Texas was Caddo land, and claimed by the Caddos as their hunting ground. The Caddos were traders and developed trade-routes. Many of the highways of today follow the Caddo trails of yester-year, such as El Camino Real, that portion from the Trinity River in Texas to Natchitoches, Louisiana.
When the Caddo Nations split they settled themselves as follows:
1. The Attaquopois, at the confluence of the Kiamechi River and the Red River in southern Oklahoma.
2. The Caddoquopois or Caddo proper remained on the Red River near Fulton, Arkansas.
3. The Peticaddo on Caddo Lake hear Shreveport, Louisiana.
4. The Koasatti near Coushatta, Louisiana.
5. The Destonies on Saline Bayou near Winnfield, Louisiana.
6. The Yatasse on Nantanchie Lake near Montgomery, Louisiana.
7. The Natchitoches on the Red River at Natchitoches, Louisiana.
8. The Adais near Robeline, Louisiana, on a large lake now called Spanish Lake.
9. The Ais at San Augustine, Texas.
10. The Nacogdoches at Nacogdoches, Texas.
11. The Hasinai consisting of four tribes on the Trinity River in Texas, referred to by the Spanish as the Tejas (some historians classify them as Caddos. They spoke the Caddo language).
The Ais Indians had as their neighbors to the west the Hasinai federation of Indians which was composed of four tribes: The Nacogdoches at Nacogdoches; the Bidais, the Nasoni and the Nabidache, the latter three were located on the Trinity River.
Such was the situation when the first aliens came in contact with the Caddos.