The river had already fallen by morning, but the night remained visible along the bank. A clean line of grass leaned downstream, holding small leaves and pale pieces of bark at the height the water had reached.
Upstream, the path was firmer than expected. Only the lowest turns carried mud, and even there the prints of birds were sharper than the marks left by boots. The surface moved quickly without looking hurried.
By noon the line began to dry. It is a temporary kind of map: accurate for a few hours, then folded back into the ordinary colour of the bank.