Loved Brondong Online

60. Lost in the Forest (9)

Lili and someone went back to the raft to tie it firmly on the ground, take things down, take everything to camp.  The rain stopped and finally stopped.  Kiki found one wet log, split it lengthwise into two halves, then used a machete to chop up the still-dry inner wood.

They soon warmed their bodies near the fire.  Someone asked Lili to help him carry more firewood.  Lili was stunned to witness her strength.  The man shouldered the entire tree trunk on his shoulder.

They chose a beautiful camping spot on the hillside.  At the foot of this hill stretches a beautiful little beach.

As usual, Kiki prepared dinner.  They ate rice, meat roasted in embers, and a little slice of wild boar meat given by customary elders.  People quickly put their own rations of meat.

“Happy holiday yes,” someone said.

“Thank you yes.”

“But I can't accept your only part meat.”

Accompanied by a pushy smile, someone refused to take back his ration.

Kiki started lecturing on rafts.  “What an unpleasant surprise because it turns out that only I know how to run a raft.  I can't do everything myself.  If not quickly learn to handle together, our lives are at stake.  I think it's a big mistake if I bear this alone, we'd better get back.”.

“Don't be sober, Kiki,” by someone.  “Indeed it will take time but soon we can definitely direct it like a professional.”

“That time we don't have,” said fiery Kiki.  “You understand no, we don't have time.  In the river later there are many dangerous currents, This is a heavy river, it takes a team of trained raft rowers to cross it.  I have no interest in trying it with the three of you.  Instead we tie the raft with the vines and then we pull.”

“Good idea,” welcome someone agree.

“Betul, it's a good idea,” continued Kiki, “the problem is that the choice is not always there.  One or two days sailing we will reach the canyon.  People say the area is impassable.  Waterfalls, strong river currents, rocks poking everywhere.”

“No one has ever made it through the canyon before, we must have failed.  Before reaching the canyon, there were still other dangerous areas.  You should know how to control the raft, how to stop it if necessary, otherwise the risk is very large, we can drift into the canyon.”

“If it happens, we're done.  Just thinking about it I was already scared to death.  Today we managed to stop the raft twice, but it was just a lucky break.”

“You mean can't we cross the canyon?” ask Lili.  “Tempo the day you said you've sailed the river with a raft more than once.”

“I never said that.  I've sailed the river many times to a place a little further away.  But, for this river I have never passed it.”

“Then, how do we continue the journey?” urge someone to know.

“That's the problem.  We must advance as close as possible to the mouth of the canyon and then stop.  There we unload the raft.  Two people would cross the canyon on foot, while two more waited.  At the agreed time together, two people who live washed the wooden logs of the raft into the current.”

“With the canyon later, the river widened the current was very slow.  The first two people had to swim to the river to catch the drifting.  After the two guys behind catch up, our raft unites again.  From there it was easy, but before it was very dangerous.  You don't know how to use the pole.  One can use the pole very expertly, just like the paddle.”

“Then why don't we just make a paddle?” ask Lili.

“Good idea,” welcome Kiki agree.  “Tomorrow we find a tree to make some paddles.”

Late that night they sat down while chatting quietly.

“Trust me,” said someone insisted, “Kiki has no idea what he said.  Obviously he knows nothing about the river and makes this canyon business a big problem, as if the place is very dangerous.”

Right after breakfast, Kiki and someone went to look for a tree to make a paddle.  Before long they found some stems somewhat upstream of the river.  The tree was very tall, the branches were very numerous, but the trunk was so fragile that to cut it down it only required a few times a machete slash.

“Each rod we split extends in the middle, from each hemisphere we make one paddle,” Kiki said after they returned to camp.  He started measuring branch by branch.

“I want to know how he split the rod right in the middle,” said someone whispering another in a suspicious tone.

“Kiki proves his skill.  He slashed the branches of the tree into a thin slab, made a small wedge in the middle of the spindles, put the slab into the wedge, then beat it repeatedly with a large stone handle.  Like magic, the logs were split in two.”

Kiki turns out to be a genius at playing the machete.  He quickly cut into pieces the wood that split into a paddle shape, then formed the width and length as allowed.  At the bottom of each paddle he made a basin and tightened a comfortable holding place.

Lili and someone else handle the other hemisphere, cutting it until it produces the basic shape of the paddle, and then Kiki finishes it.  Now they let it dry completely so that it is light and hard.

Lili proposed putting both oars near the fire.  “If not we can be stuck here eight days, long time.”

“It is not good if dried by fire,” said Kiki.  “Sadly there is no choice, even if we are a little.  Tonight we sleep here, tomorrow we continue the journey.”

Since the day was still bright, Kiki decided to hunt.

“Ki!” call someone before Kiki leaves, “what do you think if we get the raft close a little more so tomorrow can start crossing early in the morning.”

“Good idea,” welcome Kiki.  “Perhaps I should cancel the hunt.”

“Not necessary,” says the person.  “Me and him will pull it using a rope.”

“Can only, if you think you can do without me.”

Kiki grabbed a rifle and a few bullets, then galloped into the forest.

Lili insisted on accompanying them, even though her legs were again attacked by rashes.

“I think my feet should stay dry,” he said.  “Hurt for mercy.”

“Means you have to wait here.”

“Oh, that's not what I meant.  I still want to help.:

They took off the raft and dragged it with a rope tied to the front.  The closer, the river's edges get stony and the harder it is to drag a raft.

“We'd better get on this raft and take it to the middle of the river,” suggested that person.

“You didn't mean to cross this river did you?” lili exclaimed in horror.

“Why not?” sue the man.  “Make me look easy.  We just hang in the middle of the raft, let the current take us through the rocks.  Maybe we'll bump a few times, but no need to worry.”