Page 141 - uji coba EBook INJE tahap 2

As the team tried persistently to move forward in the cold and moving water in
the forest we arrived at the ‘turning point’ in our minds due to up-to-stomach
floodwater around us: “Shall we continue moving forward or just back off and wait
some more times at the higher spots until the floodwater is subsiding?”. This difficult
question could not be answered by means of ‘multiple choice’ answer, or guessing, or
throwing and flipping a coin. The risk was too large (untolerable), the wrong action
could incite an accident and even a loss of life. A simple survey, a careful sounding
and observation and an accurate analysis had to be performed! So, two young men
who were good swimmers went further and moved forward until we could not see
them anymore.
When they came back their findings were as follows: at a distance in front of us
there was a river with overflowing water which had caused the flood so far. The way
to that river was around 100 meters long and the deepest part of the floodwater was,
in average, to the chest. And here was the good news: there was a bridge made of a
stem of a big tree which lied across the river with both ends tied strongly to both old
large trees at both banks of the river. In the normal and dried condition one had to
mount him(her)self onto the tree-stem bridge across the river, and well over the
flowing water below, and then walk gently and carefully, step by step, while
maintaining his (her) balance well. (How did one keep the balancing condition of
one’s body?). While one walked on the bridging tree stem one could hold on many of
the hanging roots of the overhanging branches of both anchoring large trees at both
sides of the river. The branches of the two trees touched, and some inter-twined, one
to another over-arching the river. Uuughh…………! What a challenge to cross the