Sleeping on the Trinity River on his return wrapped in a Buffalo robe in company with his negro servant Richmond a panther jumped upon him [Moses Austin] from a tree. He jumped up threw off the robe and shouting drove off the panther—Kirkham had previously deserted him in the night taking off pack Mules and all the provisions leaving him and Richmond to find their way to the settlements without food—They had to raft the rivers swollen by rains and lived on berries and roots—from which he contracted flux with which he was long delayed at McGuffins and which ultimately contributed to carry him off at the Residence of his daughter Mrs Bryan on Hazzel Run M°, Richmond was also taken sick and left by him at McGuffins.