About
twelve o'clock
`` We remained concealed until it was dark , and then Hastings and Romer , each with a musket on his shoulders and a ham at his back ; and I , being the smallest , with the rifle and the great loaf of bread , set off on our journey . Our intention was to travel north , as we knew that was the road leading from the colony ; but Hastings had decided that we should first go to the eastward , so as to make what we sailors call a circumbendibus , which would keep us out of the general track . We passed through the deep sands of False Bay , and after that gradually ascended , getting among brushwood and young trees ; but we saw no signs of cultivation , nor did we pass one house after we had left False Bay astern of us . About twelve o'clock we were very much fatigued , and longed for a drink of water , but we did not find any , although the moon shone as bright as day . We distinctly heard , however , what we did not much like , the howling and cries of the wild beasts which increased as we went on ; still we did not see any , and that was our comfort . At last we were so tired that we all sat down on the ledge of a rock . We dared not go to sleep , so we remained there till daylight , listening to the howling of the animals .