unprepared ['AnprI'peqd], ineffectual ["InI'fektSuql], apparatus ["xpq'reItqs]
The fire from the vessels was most ineffectual, owing, as I afterward learned, to the unexpected suddenness of the first volley, which caught the ships' crews entirely unprepared and the sighting apparatus of the guns unprotected from the deadly aim of our warriors.
It seems that each green warrior has certain objective points for his fire under relatively identical circumstances of warfare. For example, a proportion of them, always the best marksmen, direct their fire entirely upon the wireless finding and sighting apparatus of the big guns of an attacking naval force; another detail attends to the smaller guns in the same way; others pick off the gunners; still others the officers; while certain other quotas concentrate their attention upon the other members of the crew, upon the upper works, and upon the steering gear and propellers.
Twenty minutes after the first volley (через двадцать минут после первого залпа) the great fleet swung trailing off in the direction from which it had first appeared (огромный флот развернулся, двигаясь в беспорядке в том направлении, откуда он впервые появился; to trail — идтипоследу; двигатьсявбеспорядке) . Several of the craft were limping perceptibly (несколько кораблей давали заметный крен; to limp — хромать; двигатьсяструдом; perceptible — ощутимый, заметный), and seemed but barely under the control of their depleted crews (и, казалось, ими едва управляют их поредевшие команды; depleted — истощенный; уменьшившийсясостав; to deplete — уменьшать /количество, размер/;истощать /организм/). Their fire had ceased entirely (их огонь совершенно прекратился) and all their energies seemed focused upon escape (и вся их энергия, казалось, сосредоточилась на бегстве). Our warriors then rushed up to the roofs of the buildings which we occupied (наши воины затем ринулись на крыши зданий, которые мы занимали) and followed the retreating armada with a continuous fusillade of deadly fire (и стали преследовать отступающую армаду непрерывными залпами смертельного огня; fusillade — ружейныйогонь; расстрел).
perceptibly [pq'septqblI], depleted [dI'pli:tId], fusillade ["fju:zI'leId]
Twenty minutes after the first volley the great fleet swung trailing off in the direction from which it had first appeared. Several of the craft were limping perceptibly, and seemed but barely under the control of their depleted crews. Their fire had ceased entirely and all their energies seemed focused upon escape. Our warriors then rushed up to the roofs of the buildings which we occupied and followed the retreating armada with a continuous fusillade of deadly fire.
One by one, however, the ships managed to dip below the crests of the outlying hills (одному за другим, однако, кораблям удалось скрыться за гребнями далеких холмов; todip— погружать; опускаться, прятаться; outlying— удаленный) until only one barely moving craft was in sight (пока только одно едва двигавшееся судно не осталось на виду). This had received the brunt of our fire (именно оно приняло /на себя/ основной залп нашего огня; brunt— нападение, напор, натиск, шок, потрясение; атака; главныйудар) and seemed to be entirely unmanned (и казалось совершенно безлюдным; unmanned — не укомплектованный /штатом/; безлюдный), as not a moving figure was visible upon her decks (так как на его палубах не было видно ни одной движущейся фигуры). Slowly she swung from her course (медленно оно отклонилось от своего курса), circling back toward us in an erratic and pitiful manner (двигаясь назад по кругу по направлению к нам хаотичным и вызывающим жалость образом; erratic— неустойчивый; беспорядочный). Instantly the warriors ceased firing (немедленно воины прекратили стрелять), for it was quite apparent that the vessel was entirely helpless (так как было совершенно очевидно, что судно было абсолютно беспомощно), and, far from being in a position to inflict harm upon us (и, совершенно не будучи в состоянии причинить нам вред; toinflict— наносить), she could not even control herself sufficiently to escape (оно даже не могло управлять собой в достаточной мере, чтобы спастись).
entirely [In'taIqlI], erratic [I'rxtIk], inflict [In'flIkt], sufficiently [sq'fIS(q)ntlI]
One by one, however, the ships managed to dip below the crests of the outlying hills until only one barely moving craft was in sight. This had received the brunt of our fire and seemed to be entirely unmanned, as not a moving figure was visible upon her decks. Slowly she swung from her course, circling back toward us in an erratic and pitiful manner. Instantly the warriors ceased firing, for it was quite apparent that the vessel was entirely helpless, and, far from being in a position to inflict harm upon us, she could not even control herself sufficiently to escape.
As she neared the city the warriors rushed out upon the plain to meet her (когда оно приблизилось к городу, воины бросились на равнину, чтобы встретить его), but it was evident that she still was too high (но было очевидно, что оно все еще находилось слишком высоко) for them to hope to reach her decks (чтобы они могли надеяться добраться до ее палуб). From my vantage point in the window (из моей выгодной позиции из окна; vantage— преимущество; vantagepoint— выгоднаяпозиция) I could see the bodies of her crew strewn about (я мог видеть тела его команды, раскиданные повсюду /по палубе/; tostrew— разбрасывать), although I could not make out what manner of creatures they might be (хотя я не мог разобрать, какого вида существа они могли быть; tomakeout— разобрать, увидеть). Not a sign of life was manifest upon her (на нем не было никаких признаков жизни; manifest— очевидный; имеющийочевидныепризнаки) as she drifted slowly with the light breeze in a southeasterly direction (когда оно медленно относилось легким ветерком в юго-восточном направлении; todrift— относитьветром; дрейфовать).
vantage ['vQ:ntIdZ], strewn [stru:n], manifest ['mxnIfest], southeasterly ["sauT'i:stqlI]
As she neared the city the warriors rushed out upon the plain to meet her, but it was evident that she still was too high for them to hope to reach her decks. From my vantage point in the window I could see the bodies of her crew strewn about, although I could not make out what manner of creatures they might be. Not a sign of life was manifest upon her as she drifted slowly with the light breeze in a southeasterly direction.
She was drifting some fifty feet above the ground (оно дрейфовало на высоте примерно пятидесяти футов над землей), followed by all but some hundred of the warriors (преследуемое всеми воинами, за исключением примерно сотни) who had been ordered back to the roofs (которым было приказано вернуться на крыши) to cover the possibility of a return of the fleet, or of reinforcements (чтобы подстраховаться от возможности возвращения флота или подкреплений; tocover— покрывать, прикрывать; предусматривать; reinforcement— подкрепление, пополнение). It soon became evident (вскоре стало очевидно) that she would strike the face of the buildings about a mile south of our position (что оно ударится о фасады зданий примерно на милю южнее нашей позиции), and as I watched the progress of the chase (и пока я наблюдал за ходом погони; progress— прогресс; ход, развитие) I saw a number of warriors gallop ahead (я увидел, /как/ несколько воинов мчатся галопом вперед) dismount and enter the building she seemed destined to touch (спешиваются и входят в здание, к которому кораблю, казалось, суждено было пристать).
follower ['fOlouq], reinforcement ["ri:In'fO:smqnt], destined ['destInd]
She was drifting some fifty feet above the ground, followed by all but some hundred of the warriors who had been ordered back to the roofs to cover the possibility of a return of the fleet, or of reinforcements. It soon became evident that she would strike the face of the buildings about a mile south of our position, and as I watched the progress of the chase I saw a number of warriors gallop ahead, dismount and enter the building she seemed destined to touch.
As the craft neared the building (когда судно приблизилось к зданию), and just before she struck (и как раз перед тем, как оно ударилось; to strike — ударять), the Martian warriors swarmed upon her from the windows (марсианские воины хлынули на него толпой из окон; toswarm— толпиться), and with their great spears eased the shock of the collision (и своими огромными копьями смягчили /силу/ удара от столкновения; toease— облегчать; смягчить; shock— удар, толчок), and in a few moments they had thrown out grappling hooks (и через несколько мгновений они набросили абордажные крюки;to grappleзацепить, схватить; hook — крюк) and the big boat was being hauled to ground by their fellows below (и большой корабль был подтянут к земле их товарищами, /стоявшими/ внизу; tohaul— тянуть, тащить).
