And so I soon forgot my fears (и так я вскоре забыл свои страхи; to forget — забывать).
Little by little (мало-помалу), I gave up all thoughts of going home again (я бросил мысли снова отправиться = вернуться домой). "A sailor's life for me (жизнь моряка /это/ для меня)," I said.
My first voyage was not a long one (мое первое путешествие не было долгим).
I visited no new lands (я не посетил новых земель/стран), for the ship went only to London (так как корабль сходил только в Лондон). But the things which I saw in that great city (но вещи, которые я увидел в великом городе) seemed very wonderful to me (казались мне весьма удивительными).
Nothing would satisfy me but to make a long voyage (ничто не могло бы удовлетворить меня, кроме /как/ совершить длинное путешествие). I wished to see the whole world (я желал увидеть весь мир).
indeed [ɪnˈdi:d], board [bɔ:d], weather [ˈweðǝ], done [dʌn], began [bɪˈɡæn], frighten [ˈfraɪt(ǝ)n], surely [ˈʃuǝlɪ], worse [wǝ:s], smooth [smu:ð], beautiful [ˈbju:tǝfǝl], friendly [ˈfrendlɪ], terrible [ˈterǝbl], laugh [lɑ:f], forgot [fǝˈɡɔt], fear [ˈfɪǝ], voyage [ˈvɔɪɪʤ], wonderful [ˈwʌndǝfǝl], satisfy [ˈsætɪsfaɪ], whole [hǝul]
I MAKE MY FIRST VOYAGE
I SOON found that my mother's words were true. A sailor's life is indeed a hard life. There was no time for play on board of our ship. Even in the fairest weather there was much work to be done.
On the very first night the wind began to blow. The waves rolled high. The ship was tossed this way and that. Never had I seen such a storm.
All night long the wind blew. I was so badly frightened that I did not know what to do. I thought the ship would surely go to the bottom.
Then I remembered my pleasant home and the words of my kind mother.
"If I live to reach dry land," I said to myself, "I will give up this thought of being a sailor. I will go home and stay with my father and mother. I will never set my foot in another ship."
Day came. The storm was worse than before. I felt sure that we were lost. But toward evening the sky began to clear. The wind died away. The waves went down. The storm was over.
The next morning the sun rose bright and warm upon a smooth sea. It was a beautiful sight.
As I stood looking out over the wide water, the first mate came up. He was a kind man, and always friendly to me.
"Well, Bob," he said, "how do you like it? Were you frightened by that little gale?"
"I hope you don't call it a little gale," I said. "Indeed it was a terrible storm."
The mate laughed.
"Do you call that a storm?" he asked. "Why, it was nothing at all. You are only a fresh-water sailor, Bob. Wait till we have a real storm."
And so I soon forgot my fears.
Little by little, I gave up all thoughts of going home again. "A sailor's life for me," I said.
My first voyage was not a long one.
I visited no new lands, for the ship went only to London. But the things which I saw in that great city seemed very wonderful to me.
Nothing would satisfy me but to make a long voyage. I wished to see the whole world.
(я вижу мир)
IT was easy to find a ship to my liking (было легко найти корабль по моему вкусу); for all kinds of trading vessels (так как все виды торговых судов; vessel — сосуд /для жидкости/; корабль, судно) go out from London to every country that is known (выходят из Лондона в каждую страну, которая известна).
One day I met an old sea captain (однажды я встретил старого морского капитана; to meet — встречать) who had been often to the coast of Africa (который часто был на побережье Африки). He was pleased with my talk (ему понравился мой разговор = то, что я ему говорил).
"If you want to see the world (если ты хочешь увидеть мир)," he said, "you must sail with me (ты должен/тебе нужно выйти в море со мной)." And then he told me that he was going again to Africa (а затем он сказал мне, что собирается опять вАфрику), to trade with the black people there (торговать там с черными людьми; to trade — торговать; обменивать/ся/). He would carry out a load of cheap trinkets (он собирается повезти /туда/ груз дешевых безделушек; to carry — везти, перевозить) to exchange for gold dust and feathers (чтобы обменять на золотую пыль = на золотой песок и перья) and other rare and curious things (и на другие редкие и любопытные вещи).
I was very glad to go with him (был очень рад отправиться с ним). I would see strange lands (я увижу чужие страны; strange — чужой; чуждый; незнакомый, неизвестный; странный, необыкновенный; удивительный) and savage people (и диких людей). I would have many a stirring adventure (у меня будут = меня ждут многие интереснейшие приключения; stirring — волнующий, возбуждающий, вдохновляющий; to stir — шевелить; волновать, возбуждать).
Before ten days had passed (прежде чем десять дней прошли = не прошло и десяти дней), we were out on the great ocean (/как/ мы были в великом океане = в открытом море/океане). Our ship was headed toward the south (наш корабль был направлен = направлялся к югу).
The captain was very kind to me (капитан был очень добр ко мне). He taught me much that every sailor ought to know (он научил меня тому, что должен знать каждый моряк; to teach — учить). He showed me how to steer (он показал мне, как править /рулем/) and manage the vessel (и управляться с судном). He told me about the tides (он рассказал мне о приливах и отливах; tide — прилив и отлив: a tide comes in — вода приливает a tide ebbs/goes out — вода убывает, спадает) and the compass (и компасе) and how to reckon the ship's course (и как вычислять курс корабля).
The voyage was a pleasant one (путешествие было приятным), and I saw more wonderful things (и я видел больше прекрасных вещей) than I can name (чем могу назвать).
When, at last, we sailed back to London (когда, наконец, мы отправились обратно в Лондон), we had gold enough (у нас было достаточно золота) to make a poor man rich (чтобы сделать бедного человека богатым).
I had nearly six pounds of the yellow dust (у меня было почти шесть фунтов желтой пыли = желтого песка) for my own share (в качестве моей собственной доли).
I had learned to be a trader (я научился быть торговцем) as well as a sailor (равно как и моряком).
It would take too long (заняло бы слишком долго = много времени) to tell you of all my voyages (рассказывать вам обо всех моих путешествиях). Some of them were happy and successful (некоторые из них были счастливыми и успешными; success — успех); but the most were unpleasant and full of disappointment (но большинство были неприятными и полными разочарований; to disappoint — разочаровывать).
Sometimes I went to Africa (иногда я отправлялся в Африку), sometimes to the new land of South America (иногда — в новые земли Южной Америки). But wherever I sailed I found the life of a sailor by no means easy (но куда бы я ни плавал, я находил жизнь моряка вовсе не легкой; means — средства; by no means — никоим образом не; ни в коем случае не; нисколько не, отнюдь не).
I did not care so much now (не заботился столь много теперь = не особенно стремился) to see strange sights (увидеть странные = необычные виды) and visit unknown shores (и посетить неизвестные берега).
I cared more for the money or goods (я больше заботился = думал о деньгах или товарах) that I would get by trading (которые я получу торговлей = в результате торговли).
At last a sudden end was put to all my sailing (в конце концов неожиданный конец был положен всем моим морским путешествиям; to sail — путешествовать морем; sail — парус). And it is of this that I will now tell you (и об этом я и расскажу вам сейчас).
easy [ˈi:zɪ], find [ˈfaɪnd], vessel [vesl], country [ˈkʌntrɪ], captain [ˈkæptɪn], pleased [pli:zd], trinket [ˈtrɪŋkɪt], exchange [ɪksˈtʃeɪnʤ], feather [ˈfeðǝ], rare [ˈreǝ], curious [ˈkjuǝrɪǝs], savage [ˈsævɪʤ], adventure [ǝdˈventʃǝ], pass [pɑ:s], great [ˈɡreɪt], ocean [ˈǝuʃ(ǝ)n], head [hed], ought [ɔ:t], steer [ˈstɪǝ], manage [ˈmænɪʤ], compass [ˈkʌmpǝs], reckon [ˈrek(ǝ)n], course [ˈkɔ:s], enough [ɪˈnʌf], poor [ˈpuǝ], successful [s(ǝ)kˈsesful], disappointment [ˌdɪsǝˈpɔɪntmǝnt]
I SEE MUCH OF THE WORLD
IT was easy to find a ship to my liking; for all kinds of trading vessels go out from London to every country that is known.
One day I met an old sea captain who had been often to the coast of Africa. He was pleased with my talk.
"If you want to see the world," he said, "you must sail with me." And then he told me that he was going again to Africa, to trade with the black people there. He would carry out a load of cheap trinkets to exchange for gold dust and feathers and other rare and curious things.
I was very glad to go with him. I would see strange lands and savage people. I would have many a stirring adventure.
Before ten days had passed, we were out on the great ocean. Our ship was headed toward the south.
The captain was very kind to me. He taught me much that every sailor ought to know. He showed me how to steer and manage the vessel. He told me about the tides and the compass and how to reckon the ship's course.
The voyage was a pleasant one, and I saw more wonderful things than I can name.
When, at last, we sailed back to London, we had gold enough to make a poor man rich.
I had nearly six pounds of the yellow dust for my own share.
I had learned to be a trader as well as a sailor.
It would take too long to tell you of all my voyages. Some of them were happy and successful; but the most were unpleasant and full of disappointment.
Sometimes I went to Africa, sometimes to the new land of South America. But wherever I sailed I found the life of a sailor by no means easy.
I did not care so much now to see strange sights and visit unknown shores.
I cared more for the money or goods that I would get by trading.
At last a sudden end was put to all my sailing. And it is of this that I will now tell you.
I UNDERTAKE A NEW VENTURE
(я предпринимаю новое рискованное начинание; venture — рискованное предприятие, рискованное начинание)
I HAD grown very tired of being a sailor (я стал очень уставшим от /того, что/ был моряком = мне весьма надоело…; to grow — расти; становиться). I was so tired of it that I made up my mind to try something else (я настолько устал от этого, что принял решение попытать что-то другое; to try — пробовать, испытывать).
It happened that I was then in Brazil (случилось, что я был тогда в Бразилии). I bought some land there (я купил там сколько-то = некоторое количество земли; to buy — покупать) and began to open a plantation (и начал открывать = основывать плантацию). The ground was rich (земля/почва была богатой), and it would be easy to raise tobacco and sugar cane (и было бы легко выращивать табак и сахарный тростник).
