Lost and Found

The lay of the land

Stupid rain, stupid trees, stupid jungle.

At least I have found a reliable fresh water source. Unfortunately it took two more days and a fall down a steep ledge onto a muddy bank.

I am currently in the shallows of a river, washing the mud off. It got everywhere. I resembled the human blob. Brown mud dripping from head to toe, with a few sticks thrown in for decoration.

Whilst clearing myself of the mud, I strip down and wash every item of clothing. Leaving them on a rock to dry in the sun.

I lay back in the slower moving water at the rocky bank. I have finally found fresh water. It's amazing that something so simple as water can make me so happy. So happy I can momentarily forget the mud.

I don't want to leave the only easy water source that I have just found. It had taken over a week to find it. If I was looking for it, other animals would have been looking for it too. Prey and predator will come to this water source. I will have to move from it, scout around the area, try to find somewhere suitable to build a more sturdy shelter.

For now I will bask in this water whilst I wait for my clothes to dry. It should not take long as the sun is shining brightly, warming the shallow water.

Freshly dressed after my all natural bath, I follow the river down along the rocky shore. The opposite shore is not passable with the muddy bank and a ten foot high steep ledge. Trees are scattered along the bank, creating brief respite from the afternoon sun. Many of which are laden with fruit, a few small animals skittering amongst the occasional coppice.

Late afternoon the river becomes slightly narrower, deeper and faster running. Larger house size rocks start raising along the banks. I start to climb the rocks, keeping the river to my left as much as possible. Soon enough the river turns in to a series of rapids before disappearing over the edge of a waterfall.

Standing at the top of a protruding rock I look at the vast landscape before me.

I am definitely not in my world anymore.

The waterfall drops for around 100 meters into yet more forest. The forest stretches towards the horizon, where I can just make out large peaks of a mountain range.

Looking down, the sheer cliff I am standing on top of stretches far to my left and right. With no option to cross the waterfall, or going down, I assess the options of going right.

Its either that or going back, hoping the mud bank eases off so I can cross back over the river. So far this plateau is safe on at least 1 side, maybe two if the mud bank continues. The sun will be setting soon, so I will look for a safer, flatter area along the edge of the plateau for the night. I will explore this plateau more tomorrow. So far it is showing promise.

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It has taken half a day following the cliff through a woodland area to come to another fast running waterfall blocking my way. Just looking at the river I know that if I attempted to swim across, I would be swept over the edge. Turning once more to my right I follow the bank of the river up, negotiating a small rock outcrop and small woodland, I am able to follow the river up stream for a few more hours.

The opposite bank splits into two rivers. I can just make out that the furthest river drops down to a marsh land. Whilst this side opens out, bullrushes ahead of me flanked by a large group of bushes and a scattering of trees.

A short time later another large shear cliff face looms ahead. The river opens out to a pool at the bottom of two waterfalls. Just like the other tall cliff, this one reaches up for quite some distance. Its surface impossible to climb by hand.

I skirt around the bushes to find a large boulder had fallen off the cliff destroying several trees in its wake. It looks to have fallen down some time ago, as the trees have long since died. I decide to investigate it further, and hidden behind this huge rock is a cave.

As it is starting to get closer to night time, this is an ideal place to settle down for the night. By my calculations it will take me half of the next day to follow the perimeter back to where I gracelessly found the muddy bank. The only vulnerable access point so far has been where the river splits into marsh land.

I cant help but feel hopeful that this will be an ideal place to settle. Short term or long term, I have not decided yet. I do plan on staying long enough to forage, preserve and build a more substantial shelter.

There seems to be plenty of resources available, I just need to refine my skills. Try setting traps, fishing, and figure out a better way to test the fruits, nuts and herbs around. I do not want a repeat of those apple like things.

Using the fallen trees for firewood, I settle into the late evening, watching the sun descend from in the cave's entrance.

I wake up with a renewed vigour. After a brief breakfast of fruit, I renew my survey of the land. Heading to my left I follow the cliff or a short distance and discover a grove of bamboo. I can see a waterfall descending into the bamboo. Following the edge line the waterfall eventually emerges as a stream that finally joins up to a river.

The far bank looks familiar, its muddy shore butting up against that delightful steep ridge I encountered just 2 days prior.

I have finally made my way around the perimeter of this secluded plateau. It has taken me two days to walk around it, and have found it to be quite secure. The only weak point is near the marsh.

Digging my sketch book out, I make a rough sketch of the land. Using the sun as a guide, I label the polar points. I want to explore the inner part of this sanctuary, but that can wait , I have all the time in the world. Feeling a little adventurous I head back, but further away from the stream and field of bamboo. I still keep it in sight, as to head back to the cave I need to head to the cliff as soon as the bamboo finishes.