— go back
— go back to the guide
Suddenly he spots something, and gives us the command to back-paddle hard. Too late! In an instant the large raft has flipped over backwards, and we are all in the water. I manage to swim back to the upended raft as it is carried along, and get hold of the rope around the side of it. I see Sarah, who is also holding the rope. She wonders anxiously where the others are. Leïla and Mariam emerge from underneath the raft. We manage to get to the steep bank of the river, and climb up. Mariam is sitting there calmly, holding the rope of the raft, so that it will not be carried away in the torrent. Our guide is swimming about helping the students to get out of the water. Being in the water was in fact a bit more comfortable than being out of it, since the water temperature was better, about 32o Fahrenheit. Some of the students are muttering revolt against their mentor. He gets out a two-way radio that has been kept in a waterproof cover, to report t he incident. Our instructions are to go to a certain place at some distance in the wilderness where we can be picked up by a vehicle.