The animals were all carefully hobbled, a hind foot and a fore foot so bound together that they could not possibly run.
The Indians, on fleet horses, with flaunting pennons, hair streaming in the wind, and uttering demoniac yells, came down like the sweep of the tornado upon the animals.

Their object was to cause a stampede, that is, to throw the animals into such a panic that they would break away from everything, and follow the Indian horses off into the boundless prairie.
The trappers thus left without any steeds, would find pursuit impossible.
The movement was so sudden and so rapid that, though several shots were fired, but one Indian was struck.

He fell dead upon the sod.

One horse only was lost.

One of the warriors, as he was passing by on the full run, succeeded in cutting the cord of a rearing, struggling steed, and the terrified animal disappeared with the mounted herd.