In his book, Venture to the Interior, Van der Post tells a very sad story. Exploring the mountain named Mianje, he meets a young couple, living part way up the mountain. They are very much in love, with a baby daughter. They are Europeans, working for the government. The young man Vance volunteers to go with them to explore the mountaintop.

Van der Post, watching the young couple part, rather brusquely and self-consciously, says to himself, “dear God, I do hope nothing is going to happen to make those two children regret their inadequate good-by. (p. 136) Later, watching Vance play a prank on an absent native firewatcher, Van der Post again feels the premonition.

“Something was wrong with our setup, we were off the true somewhere, if we could behave like that.” Shortly after, seeing an eagle and a buzzard fight in midair, he considers it another warning “that greater perils lay ahead.” (p. 141-142)

A dangerous storm comes up, and, not trusting his feelings, Van der Post lets himself be talked into taking another way down the mountain. On the way down, they have to cross a river. Vance volunteers to cross using a rope for security. However, instead of walking across facing the stream as he is advised, he suddenly begins to swim. He almost makes it, but is swept over the falls, and the rope severs on some rocks before Van der Post and the others can pull him out. He is dead, beyond any doubt.
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I have had premonitions. I was walking with my favorite dog Gypsy one day and suddenly felt great anxiety for her. I didn’t know what to make of my feeling. The next day she was dead, hit by a car. I have experienced this feeling of anxiety several times since and have learned to take it very seriously.

These premonitions come from our unconscious, in which all time is one and any event that will generate strong feelings can be felt before its time in the outer world. Our unconscious, ahead of us in time, sees the great loss or shock or whatever else is coming, and tries to warn us – if we will but listen.