LESSON 58 The canvas boat
第五十八課 帆布船
I.
(一)
More than two hundred years ago, seven English sailors were captured by pirates, and carried off to Algiers, on the coast of Africa. Here they spent five miserable years, during which they were treated not only as prisoners, but as slaves.
兩百多年前,7名英國海員被海盜抓住,并帶到了非洲沿岸的阿爾及爾,他們在這里度過了5年悲慘的時光,過著犯人和奴隸的生活。
At length, they could bear their hard fate no longer. They had no hope either of being set free by their masters, or of being rescued by their friends. They therefore resolved to make their escape.
最后,他們?nèi)淌懿涣诉@艱苦的命運。他們對主人歸還他們自由不抱希望,也對朋友將會營救他們也不抱希望了。因此他們決心開始逃跑。
They were watched so closely, and kept so hard at work, that this was very difficult indeed. But any fate would be better than bondage; and the difficulties they met with only made them more determined to succeed.
他們被看管的很緊,并且一直辛苦地工作,事實上逃跑是很困難的。但是任何命運都會比奴役要好。他們遭遇的困難使他們下定決心要成功逃脫。
Their plan was, to make a boat in separate parts; and to carry these to the coast, and join them together there. By good luck it happened that one of them had got the use of a cellar, in which to store the goods that he sold for his master's benefit. Here the captives met, as often as they could, to talk over their plans; and here, in their stolen half hours, they made their preparations.
計劃就是,用不同的部件造一條船,把這些部件帶到海岸上,在那里組裝起來。其中一個人運氣很好,有權(quán)使用地窖,那里儲存了一些為主人謀利的售賣物品。俘虜們盡可能頻繁的在這里見面討論他們的計劃,在偷懶的半個小時里,他們著手準(zhǔn)備。
First, they made a keel, in two parts; then they made the ribs. They were afraid that if they covered these with boards, the noise of their hammering would let out their secret. So they got as much stout canvas as would make a double covering for their little skiff; and, in order to make it watertight, they first soaked it in tallow, and then covered it with pitch.
首先,他們做了一個龍骨,分成了兩部分,然后又做了肋材。他們害怕如果用木板覆蓋這些東西,這個捶打的聲音將會泄露他們的秘密。所以他們找到了盡可能多的粗糙的帆布雙層覆蓋著他們的小劃艇。為了讓它不漏水,他們先把它浸泡在油脂里,然后又涂了一層瀝青。
As they could work very little at their boat each day, and often whole days passed without their being able to touch it, it was a very long time before it was finished. At last everything was ready, and they were in high spirits. When they had found a piece of cloth that would make a sail, they thought themselves the luckiest fellows in the world.
因為他們每天可以花費在船上的時間很少,常常一整天過去了他們都沒有碰過船,所以過了很長的時間才完成這艘船。最后所有事情準(zhǔn)備好的時候,他們情緒很高亢。他們找到一塊布做了船帆,他們覺得自己是世界上最幸運的人。
Secretly, and in the dark, they carried their boat, piece by piece, to a quiet valley about half a mile from the sea. Here they put the pieces together, and bore their boat in triumph to the shore. On launching it, what was their dismay to find that their tiny craft would carry at most only five of their number!
晚上,他們帶上船的每一塊部件,靜悄悄的來到了,距離海岸半英里的山谷,把船組裝在一起。并且成功的把船推到了海岸線上。當(dāng)船下水時,讓人吃驚的是他們發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的小游艇最多只能裝載他們中的5個人。
They cast lots to settle who were to be left behind; and, after a sad leave-taking, the little crew set sail, promising, if they ever reached home, to make the case of their comrades known. The only provisions they were able to take with them were two leather bottles of fresh water, and a little bread.
他們抽簽決定誰將會被留下來,經(jīng)過傷心的告別之后,這個小團隊起航了,并且許諾,如果回到家,將會把他們的事情告訴他們的伙伴。他們攜帶的僅有的供給物是兩個皮革瓶裝的水和小塊面包。
QUESTIONS
問題
By whom were the English sailors captured? Where were they sent? How many years were they kept there? How were they treated? What did they at last resolve to do? What was their plan? Where did they make their preparations? Why did they use a canvas covering? What did they find on launching their boat? How did they settle who were to be left?
英國的海員被誰抓住了?他們被送到了哪里?他們在那里呆了多少年?怎么被對待的?他們最后決定怎么做?計劃是什么?在哪里做的準(zhǔn)備?為什么用帆布覆蓋?當(dāng)船下水后他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了什么?他們是怎么決定誰被留下的?
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