noon
For a week we travelled on , and as soon as we were over the mountains , we turned our heads to the northward . Our provisions were all gone , and we were one day without any ; but we killed an antelope called a spring-bock , which gave us provisions for three or four days : there was no want of game after we had descended into the plain . I forgot to mention , however , a narrow escape we had , just before we had left an extensive forest on the side of the mountain . We had walked till past noon , and were very much tired ; we decided upon taking our dinner under a large tree , and we threw ourselves down in the shade . Hastings was lying on his back , with his eyes looking upwards , when he perceived on the lower branch of the tree a panther , which lay along it , his green eyes fixed upon us , and ready to spring ; he seized his musket , and fired it without taking aim , for there was no time ; but the ball entered the stomach of the animal , and , as it appeared , divided its back-bone . Down came the beast , within three or four feet of where we lay , with a loud roar , and immediately crouched to spring upon Romer ; but it could not , for the back-bone being broken , it had not any power in its hinder quarters , so it raised up its fore quarters , and then dropped down again . I never saw such rage and fury in an animal in my life .