eak
cover, when suddenly he burst upon them, covered with blood, and
followed closely by ten or fifteen hounds. He was armed with a heavy
club, with which he now and then turned upon the dogs, crushing them at
a blow. The hunters were dumb with astonishment; mounting their horses,
they sprang forward to witness the conflict; the brute, on seeing them,
gave a loud shout; one of the hunters being terrified, fired at him with
his rifle; the strange animal put one of his hairy paws upon its breast,
staggered, and fell; a voice was heard: "The Lord forgive you this
murder!"

On coming near, the hunters found that their victim was a man, covered
with hair from head to foot; he was senseless, but not dead. They
deplored their fatal error, and resolved that no expense or attention
should be spared upon the unfortunate sufferer. This hunted beast, this
hairy man, was Finn. The wound, not being mortal, was soon cured; but
he became crazy and did not recover his reason for eight months. He
related his adventures up to his quitting the Lost Prairie; after which
all was a blank. His narrative soon spread all over the States, and
land speculators crowded from every part to hear Finn's description of
the unknown countries. The government became anxious to establish new
settlements in these countries, and Finn was induced to commence the
work of colonisation by the gift of the "Lost Prairie." Money was also
supplied to him, that he might purchase slaves; but, before taking
possession of his grant, he went to Missouri to visit his old friend,
and claim his bride. Her father had been dead for some time, but the
daughter was constant.

With his wife, his brother-in-law, his negroes, and several waggons
loaded with the most necessary articles, Finn forced his way to Little
Rock, on the Arkansas River, whence, after a short repose, he again
started in a South South West direction, through a hilly and woody
country never before travelled. At last he reached the "Lost Prairie;"
nothing was heard of him for two years, when he appeared at Nachitoches
in a long cow [see note 2], laden with produce.

From Nachitoches Finn proceeded to New Orleans, where the money received
for his cotton, furs, and honey enabled him to purchase two more negroes
and a fresh supply of husbandry tools. A company was immediately
formed, for the purpose of exploring the Red River, as far as it might
prove navigable, and surveying the lands susceptible of