|First Texas Road Log I Written 145 Years Ago
\Path of Cdmino Real From Rio
Grande to Espada Mission Described by Father Morfi in	1777.
j Staff Special to The Express.	1
AUSTIN, Tex., July 2D.—As a result of (lie coming of a big delegation ' from Leon. Robertson, Brazos and other counties lo the meeting of the Stale ! Highway Commission in Austin last Monday, all bent on having the department designate the old Camino Real as a State highway through that portion of Texas and on to Nacogdoches, State Highway Engineer ,1. 1). Fauntlcroy 1 lias been digging into the ancient records for the truth about (lie first route of | a public road ever marked out by man within the limits of Texas.
This old road, sought lo be made into a new and highly improved one. is undoubtedly of higher historical interest than any other road in Texas ever can be. It ran from a point near Rio Grande City on the international border through San Antonio and (hence all the way to the Louisiana line, passing I through ihe old town of Nacogdoches. Jt was in early days used more than I any other trail, and is still the route for thousands.
the purpose'of the State high way authorities to further reconstruction of the old road in every possible way. But it is learned the commissioners will not agree to designate the route for improvement as requested. They want the old trail to be followed as closely as economy and engineering problems will allow, but they draw the line at building a modern highway in just the way that the first cow and first horse moved from the East-eru frontier of Texas toward San Antonio.
Nowadays roads are logged with such ease and so frequently that they have little concern. for the general public. Bui there is a log of that part of 4hc old Camino Ileal, “Royal Road,” or King’s Trail, stretching from the Rio Grande to San Antonio in the archives here that is of local interest all over Southwest Texas and of peculiar value to good roads enthusiasts everywhere. It will soon be 1*15 years since Father Morfi and a few companions started the first trace of the Camino Real. This priest has left behind an imperishable record of his journeyings over a waste almost trackless, llis description .of the country as it then appeared between the Itio Grande and Han Antonio is heightened in the minds of those who realize the changes that‘have 'taken place.
-—Father Morfi’s log of the Camino' Real, translated from the original Spanish, is one of the State Highway Department’s most cherished souvenirs of early road building in Texas. It follows:	j
Dec. 21, Vtll'i wc set out from Rio Grande, through some swamps and mesquite to the famous Rio Grande del Norte, two leagues, ID. N. K., to iho crossing called French Ford. (-1*10). Jt was not possible for us lo arrive at the next water-hole which is the only one nearby for the horses, so it was necessary to camp on the opposite bank of the river, a pistol-, shot’s distance away.
Dec. 25, I said mass before dawn. Wo set out at 7:3t), over some bills, nirid and rocky which form the opposite bank of the river, and entered a great-plain of excellent land of good pasturage without water; and without seeing in any direction a single! bill. At the termination of the.plain} (ilano) we went down to a ravine of mesquite and oilier trees. The land is red, sarnl.v. At the end of the ravine we found a large dry creek which preserves some pools of water all the year. It is called the Aguajc' (waterholc) of Han Ambrosia. Having passed this wF'J-fTW*'!1 rioThcr pjain over which we traveled a league and a half to the spring of San Pedro.
We did not stop, but contimrcTT'OVer the same red sandy soil, and at two o’clock arrived at the Aguajc of Han Lorenzo, having traveled ten leagues!
riheast. This waterholc is a I little pool of muddy water, surrounded by oaks (cncinos) and other trees.! From llm ravine of Han. Ainhrosio wc, saw many cacti, and JlVhlV S'aiTTcdro 1 much vcrdolaga (purslain).
On Dec. 20th we set out from San' Lorenzo'at 7:30, foggy, lasted: until] 10, when the sun came out. After) ascending the hill (loma) near Han Lorenzo, wc found a shrub we call in j Spain una de gato (cat-claw). We took a turn towards the cast in order lo ascend a hill (loma) not seeing anywhere anything but gradual hills (lomcrias suaves), one arising above the other in (he shape of a canoe. On top of it there is much loose and fine stone, which is not found in the ravines and meadows.
At 11, we arrived at the Aguajc of Santa Catarina. It is a little pool of VTTTTT"TTfiTd^viiaf cleaner than San Lorenzo. At 2:30 wc arrived at the Pools of Barrera. The tents were, placed on an elevation, having toward: the cast the Canoe (La Canoa). Ten leagues, five ID. N. ID., one east, and --on- K. X. E.
On the 27th we set out at S o’clock, cold, and after a short distance, the hills (lomcria) continuing, we arrived at. a thick wood of mesquite, nopal, etc., and near its cud is the Aguajc ef ^;m Roque, where there is water in pools’TTfP'the year. We did not stop, but went up the crest of the hill, which is the only rocky place (penns-jquerin) in the vicinity, although covered with undergrowth. .From here the Nueces River, can be seen, and is not lost sight of until it is crossed. Descending the hill, the wood ends, and the lomcrias (hills) continue to the Aguajc of La Roinann, which is another pool two leagues from the preceding one, and not so abundant. Wo stopped here to warm ourselves. Wc - sot. out through a little grove (bosquccito). The land changes to a cinnamon color. The last magucyos are scon. Four leagues fQyther and on the left of our road, there is a hill a little higher than the others around it, which is called La Cochina. On this side a few fifty s,m“WMh:	the
Apaches killed some men. A little before this a large, number of wild horses crossed the road. Wc traveled two leagues over bare hills. Descended into a ravine formed by the wood of La Cochina. ’The wood is very dense and divided into two parts by a little hill (lomita) which cuts it from north to south. We went other league and entered another ra-
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