Six of them, including two women who acted as cooks, were left in charge of a band of horses while the rest were away, engaged in barter.

When endeavoring to find better grazing for their animals and while the man and boy were on guard, they were attacked by a band of thirty Indians.
The warriors were after the horses and their first demonstration was a flight of arrows.

The only chance of escape was to make off with the animals and the two started them on a dead run straight toward the Indians.

The charge was so impetuous, that they forced their way through, and continued their flight, while the warriors remained behind to massacre the others.
When the couple had gone a long distance, they left the horses and turned back to look for their friends.

While they were doing so, they came upon Fremont's camp.