I kept the canoe quite close to the shore (я держал каноэ довольно близко к берегу) until I had rounded the point past which the dangerous current flowed (пока я не обогнул мыс, мимо которого текло опасное течение; point — точка; острие, выступающая часть; мыс). Being then in smooth water (будучи затем в тихой: «гладкой» воде), I struck boldly out toward the wreck (я направился отважно к остову разбитого судна; to strike — ударять; to strike out — направляться; to strike out for the shore — направиться к берегу).
Soon, however, upon looking a little ahead of me (вскоре, тем не менее, глядя немного вперед передо мной), I saw the second current flowing in a great eddy past a long line of half-hidden rocks (я увидел второе течение, текущее большим водоворотом мимо длинной линии полускрытых /водой/ скал).
As I looked on these rapid currents (когда я смотрел на эти быстрые потоки), my heart began to fail me (мое сердце начало отказывать мне). I knew that if I should be driven into one of them, it would carry me a great way out to sea (я знал, что если бы я попал: «был загнан/отнесен» в один из них, он вынес бы меня далеко в море). It would carry me so far that I should never be able to get back again (он вынес бы меня так далеко, что я ни за что не смог бы приплыть обратно).
Yet I was determined to persevere in my venture (и все же я был настроен упорно продолжать мое путешествие; to persevere — упорно добиваться, стойко, упорно продолжать).
discover [dIs' [email protected]], burst [ [email protected]:st], lightning ['laItnIN], thunder [' [email protected]], heard [ [email protected]:d], Bible ['baIbl], threw [Tru:], raincoat [' [email protected]], caught [kO:t], distress [dIs'tres], anchor ['& [email protected]], during [' [email protected]], firmly [' [email protected]:mlI], many ['menI], jug [dZVg], steer [' [email protected]], dozen ['dVz(@)n], arrange [@'reIndZ], rapid ['r&pId], driven ['drIv(@)n], determined [dI' [email protected]:mInd], persevere [, [email protected]:sI' [email protected]]
I DISCOVER A WRECK
ONE day in May a great storm burst upon the island. All day and far into the night the rain fell and the wind blew, the lightnings flashed, and the thunder rolled.
But I was used to such storms, and I minded it but little. I stayed home in my castle, and felt very thankful that I had a place so safe and dry and comfortable. I sat up quite late, reading my Bible by the light of a little lamp I had made, and thinking of my strange lot in life. Suddenly I heard a sound which I felt sure was the noise of a gun fired at sea.
I started up quickly. I threw on my raincoat and mounted to my lookout on the top of the great rock.
The rain had stopped and the wind was going down. It was now past midnight, and very dark.
A moment after I had reached my place there was a flash of light that caused me to stop and listen for another gun.
In a few seconds I heard it. It seemed to come from that part of the sea where I was once caught by the strong current and driven far out in my boat.
I knew at once that the shots were fired from some ship in distress. Perhaps she was being driven upon the shore by the wind and waves. Could I do anything to help the poor men on board?
With great labor and danger to myself I gathered some sticks and brush into a pile on the rock and set it on fire.
The wood was not dry, but when the fire was once kindled it blazed up fiercely and cast a light over all the rocks and trees about me.
I felt sure that if there were sailors on the ship, they could not help but see it. And no doubt they did see it, for I soon heard another gun.
All night long I kept the fire burning; but no other sound besides the wind did I hear.
When it was broad day and the mists had cleared away, I turned my spyglass toward that part of the sea from which the sounds came.
Far away from the shore there was surely something; but whether it was a wreck or a ship under sail, I could not tell. The distance was too great.
I watched it from time to time all day. It did not move.
"It must be a ship at anchor," I said to myself.
Early the next morning I took my gun and went down toward that side of the island where the current had once caught me. When I had come to the shore there, I climbed upon some rocks and looked out over the sea.
The air was very clear now, and I could plainly see the ship.
She was not at anchor. She was fast on some great rocks of which there were many in that part of the sea.
I saw that the masts of the vessel were broken, and that her hull was lying more than halfway out of the water.
I thought of the sailors who must have been on board, and wondered if any had escaped. It seemed impossible that any could have reached the shore through the furious sea that was raging during the storm.
"Oh, that one had been saved!" I cried as I walked up and down the shore.
I wrung my hands, my lips were firmly set, my eyes were full of tears.
"Oh, that one had been saved!" I cried again and again.
It was thus that after so many lonely years without seeing a friendly face I longed to have at least one companion to talk with and to share my hopes and fears.
The sea was now quite calm. Even among the rocks the water was smooth.
Seeing everything thus favorable, I made up my mind to get my canoe and go out to the wreck.
I hurried back to my castle to get things ready for my voyage.
I packed a big basket with bread; I filled a jug with fresh water; I put a compass in my pocket that I might have it to steer by; I threw a bag full of raisins upon my shoulder.
Loaded with all these necessary things, I went round to the place where my canoe was hidden. I found her half full of water, for she had been lying there neglected for a long time.
With much labor I bailed the water out of her and got her afloat. Then I loaded my cargo into her, and hurried home for more.
My second load was a bag full of rice, the umbrella to set up over my head for shade, another jug of water, a cheese, a bottle of milk, and about two dozen barley cakes.
All these I carried around to my canoe. If there were men on board the wreck they might be in need of food.
When I had arranged everything in good order, I started out.
I kept the canoe quite close to the shore until I had rounded the point past which the dangerous current flowed. Being then in smooth water, I struck boldly out toward the wreck.
Soon, however, upon looking a little ahead of me, I saw the second current flowing in a great eddy past a long line of half-hidden rocks.
As I looked on these rapid currents, my heart began to fail me. I knew that if I should be driven into one of them, it would carry me a great way out to sea. It would carry me so far that I should never be able to get back again.
Yet I was determined to persevere in my venture.
(я предпринимаю еще одно путешествие)
WITH very great care I steered my canoe out to sea (с большой осторожностью я направил мое каноэ в море). I kept just within the edge of the current on my right hand (я держался точно у края потока по правую руку; within — в, внутри; edge — кромка, край; грань, граница). It carried me along at a great rate (он нес меня на большой скорости; rate — норма; ставка, тариф; темп; скорость, ход /как физическая характеристика/), but I did not lose control of the canoe (но я не терял управление каноэ).
In about two hours I came up to the wreck (примерно через два часа я добрался до судна, потерпевшего кораблекрушение). It was a sad sight to look at (это было грустное зрелище: «это было грустное зрелище, чтобы смотреть на него»).
The ship lay partly on her side (корабль частично лежал на боку), and was jammed fast between two great rocks (и был крепко зажат между двумя большими рифами).
She looked like a Spanish ship (он выглядел, как испанское судно). She had been badly broken by the waves (он был сильно поломан волнами), and everything on her decks had been swept away (и все с палуб было смыто /в море/; to sweep — мести; to sweep away — сметать).
As I came close to her (когда я подплыл к нему поближе), a dog looked over her side and barked at me (пес выглянул через борт и залаял на меня; side — сторона, бок). When I called him he jumped into the sea and swam out to the canoe (когда я позвал его, он прыгнул в море и поплыл к каноэ).
I lifted him on board (я поднял его на борт), and found that he was almost dead with hunger and thirst (и обнаружил, что он был почти мертв от голода и жажды).
I gave him a barley cake (я дал ячменную лепешку), and he devoured it like a half-starved wolf (и он сожрал ее, как полумертвый от голода волк; to starve — умирать от голода). I then gave him a little water (затем я дал ему немного воды), but not too much lest he should harm himself (но не очень много, чтобы он не повредил себе = чтобы ему не стало плохо). He drank (он пил), and then looked up as if asking for more (а затем посмотрел вверх, как бы прося еще).
After this I went on board (после этого я взошел на борт). A sad sight met my eyes (печальный вид встретил мои глаза; to meet — встречать). For in the cookroom I saw two sailors who had been drowned (потому что в камбузе я увидел двух моряков, которые утонули), with their arms fast around each other (с руками крепко вокруг друг друга = крепко обнявшись).
I suppose (я предполагаю) that when the ship struck (что когда корабль ударился = сел на мель; to strike — ударять) the waves dashed all over her (волны хлынули через него) and the men had no way of escape (и у людей/экипажа не было никакого пути спасения). Those who were not swept overboard (кого не смыло за борт: «кто не был смыт за борт»; to sweep — мести, сметать) were drowned between decks (утонули между палубами).
Besides the dog there was no other live thing on board (кроме собаки, не было никого другого живого существа на борту).
I found some chests that had belonged to the sailors (я нашел несколько ящиков, которые принадлежали морякам). With much labor I got two of them into the canoe without stopping to look inside of them (с большим трудом я затащил два из них на каноэ, не останавливаясь, чтобы посмотреть внутрь их).
Besides these chests (кроме этих ящиков), I took a fire shovel and tongs (я взял лопату для огня = камина и щипцы), which I needed very much (которые мне были очень нужны). I found, also, two little brass kettles (я нашел также два маленьких латунных чайника; brass — латунь, желтая медь), a gridiron (рашпер /решетка для поджаривания мяса/; grid — решетка, сетка; iron — железо), and a large copper pot (и большой медный горшок/большую медную кастрюлю).
The tide was now setting in toward the island again (прилив направлялся к острову опять). So, with the few goods I had found and the poor dog, I started for home (поэтому с немногими вещами, которые я нашел, и бедным псом я отправился домой; goods — товар; товары; вещи, имущество).
By keeping on the outside of the eddying current (держась снаружи крутящегося потока; eddy — маленький водоворот, воронка; to eddy — крутиться в водовороте) I had no trouble in bringing the canoe safe to land (у меня не было трудностей привести каноэ невредимым к суше). The sun was almost down (солнце почти зашло) when I anchored her in a little inlet just off the point of rocks (когда я поставил его на якорь в маленькой бухте как раз скалистым мысом).
I was so tired (я был таким уставшим) that I could do nothing more that day (что в тот день я больше не мог ничего делать). So, after eating my supper (поэтому, съев ужин), of which I gave the dog a good share (из которого я дал собаке хорошую долю), I lay down in the canoe and went to sleep (я лег в каноэ и заснул; to lie — лежать; to lie down — ложиться).
