n train horses to run from one given
point to another in expectancy of caravans. When a camp is made which
is nearly in range they turn their trained animals loose, who at once
fly across the plain, penetrating and passing through the camp of
their victims. All of the picketed animals will endeavor to follow,
and usually succeed in following, the trained horses. Such are
invariably led into the haunts of the thieves, who easily secure them.
Young horses and mules are easily frightened; and, in the havoc which
generally ensues, oftentimes great injury is done to the runaways
themselves. The sight of a stampede on a grand scale requires steady
nerves to witness without tremor; and, woe to the footman who cannot
get out of the way when the frightened animals come along. At times,
when the herd is very large, the horses scatter over the open country
and are irrecoverably lost; and, such as do not become wild, fall a
prey to the ravenous wolves. Such, most frequently, is the fate of
stampeded horses which have been bred in the States, not being trained
by a prairie-life experience to take care of themselves. Instead of
bravely stopping and fighting off the wolves, they run. The whole pack
are sure to leave the bolder animals and make for the runaways, which
they seldom fail to overtake and dispatch. Four years since, one of
these stampedes occurred on the Plains of a band of horses, in which
there were several hundred valuable animals. It was attended with very
heavy loss to the owners. Through the courage and great exertions of
those who had the animals in charge, many were recovered, but none
without having sustained more or less injury.

A favorite policy of the Indian horse thieves is to creep into camp,
cut loose one animal and thoroughly frighten him. This animal seldom
fails to frighten the remainder, when away they all go with long ropes
and picket pins dangling after them. The latter sometimes act like
harpoons, being thrown with such impetus as to strike and instantly
kill a valuable steed from among the brother runaways. At other times,
the limbs of the running horses get entangled in the ropes, when they
are suddenly thrown. Such seldom escape without broken legs or severe
contusions, which are often incurable. The necessity of traveling on,
at any rate, renders it an impossibility to undertake the cure, when
it might be practicable under other circumstances.]

This day the party travelled fifty miles and though