74 THE PLAINS. 



among them, yelling like maniacs and shaking buffalo 

 robes or blankets. An American horse, as well as a mule, 

 has an instinctive dread and fear of an Indian, and under 

 such circumstances nothing but absolute physical impos- 

 sibility will prevent the most gentle animal from going 

 off at the top of his speed. Once fairly started, the best- 

 mounted Indian will gradually get ahead of the stampeded 

 herd and lead them over the best ground in the direction 

 he wishes them to take. When safe from pursuit he 

 lessens his speed, the other Indians keep close to the 

 flanks and rear ; and after a run of ten or twelve miles the 

 whole stampeded band finds itself under control, and is 

 driven wherever the Indians wish. 



Sometimes when the marches are hard, grass poor, 

 and short forage scarce, it may become necessary to leave 

 the horses on herd all night. This is an excellent oppor- 

 tunity for the Indian. He will crawl like a snake into 

 a badly guarded herd, while most. of the animals are 

 asleep, cut lariats and side hues, and with demoniac yells 

 frighten them into stampede. It is, however, only on 

 rare occasions that he attempts this : first, for reasons 

 arising from his religious beliefs ; and, second, because the 

 stampeded animals will not run well together at night, 

 are unmanageable, and most of them are lost to the stam- 

 peders. Sometimes an Indian will crawl- on a picket line, 

 cut the halters and get off with an animal or two, but 

 for night a frontier white* horse-thief can easily discount 

 any Indian. To small hunting parties these thieves are 

 really much more dangerous than the Indian. Under the 

 guise of hunters they will come into camp in the evening, 

 enter into conversation, give interesting information as to 

 the best hunting -grounds, and make themselves generally 

 agreeable. All the time they are taking mental stock of 

 the position, and when they finally leave it is with perfect 

 knowledge of every locality, the position of the best horses, 

 and the posts of the sentinels. If by morning they have 

 not got off with your best horses, it will be no fault of theirs. 



