名著·鲁宾逊飘流记 - 第24节


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  七月十五日,我开始对这个小岛作更详细的勘察。我先走到那条小河边。这条小河,先前已经提到,是我木排靠岸的地方。我沿河而上走了约两英里,发现海潮最远只能到达这里。原来这是一条小溪,溪水清澈,口味甚佳。现在适值旱季,溪里有些地方连一滴水也没有;即使有的话,也汇不成水流。

   On the Bank of this Brook I found many pleasant Savana's, or Meadows; plain, smooth, and cover'd with Grass; and on the rising Parts of them next to the higher Grounds, where the Water, as it might be supposed, never overflow'd I found a great deal of Tobacco, green, and growing to great and very strong Stalk; there were divers other Plants which I had no Notion of, or Understanding about, and might perhaps have Vertues of their own, which I could find out.

  在小溪旁,是一片片可爱的草地,平坦匀净,绿草如茵;在紧靠高地的那些地势较高的地方(显然,这儿是河水泛滥不到的地方),长着许多烟草,绿油油的,茎秆又粗又长。附近还有其他各种各样的植物,可惜我都不认识。这些植物也许各有各的用处,只是我不知道罢了。

   I searched for the Cassava Root, which the Indians in all that climate make their Bread of, but I could find I saw large Plants of Alloes, but did not then understand them. I saw several Sugar Canes, but wild, and for Cultivation, imperfect. I contented my self with these Discoveries for this Time, and came back musing with myself what Course I might take to know the Vertue and Goodness of any of the Fruits or Plants which I should discover; but could bring it to no Conclusion; for in short, I had made so little Observation while I wad in the Brasils, that I knew little of the Plants in the Field, at least very little that might serve me to any Purpose now in my Distress.

  我到处寻找木薯,那是热带印第安人用来做面包的植物,可是没有找到。我发现了许多很大的芦荟,但当时不知道其用途。我还看到一些甘蔗,因为是野生的,未经人工栽培,所以不太好吃。我感到这回发现的东西已不少了。在回家的路上,心里寻思着如何利用这些新发现,可是毫无头绪。我在巴西时不曾注意观察野生植物,如今陷入困境也就无法加以利用了。

   The next Day, the 16th, I went up the same Way again, and after going something farther than I had gone the Day before, I found the Brook, and the Savana's began to cease, and the Country became more woody than before; in this Part I found different Fruits, and particularly I found Mellons upon the Ground in great Abundance, and Grapes upon the Trees; the Vines had spread indeed over the Trees, and the Clusters of Grapes were just now in their Prime, very ripe and rich: This was a surprising Discovery, and I was exceeding glad of them; but I was warn'd by my Experience to eat sparingly of them, remembring, that when I was ashore in Barbary, the eating of Grapes kill'd several of our English Men who were Slaves there, by throwing them into Fluxes and Feavers: But I found an excellent Use for these Grapes, and that was to cure or dry them in the Sun, and keep them as dry'd Grapes or Raisins are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed they were, as wholesom as agreeable to eat, when no Grapes might be to be had.

  第二天,十六日,我沿原路走得更远。小溪和草地均已到了尽头,但树木茂盛。在那儿,长着不少水果,地上有各种瓜类,树上有葡萄。葡萄长得很繁茂,葡萄藤爬满树枝,葡萄一串串的,又红又大。这意外的发现使我非常高兴。但经验警告我不能贪吃。我记得,在伯尔伯里上岸时,几个在那儿当奴隶的英国人因葡萄吃得太多,害痢疾和热病死了。但是,我还是想出了一个很好的方法利用这些葡萄,就是把他们放在太阳下晒干,制成葡萄干收藏起来。我相信葡萄干是很好吃的;在不是葡萄成熟的季节,就可以吃葡萄干,又富营养又好吃。后来事实也证明如此。

   I spent all that Evening there, and went not back to my Habitation, which by the Way was the first Night, as I might say, I had lain from Home. In the Night I took my first Contrivance, and got up into a Tree, where I slept well, and the next Morning proceeded upon my Discovery, travelling near four Miles, as I might judge by the Length of the Valley, keeping still due North, with a Ridge of Hills on the South and North-side of me.

  那晚我就留在那里,没有回家。顺便说一句,这是我第一次在外面过夜。到了夜里,我还是拿出老办法,爬上一棵大树,舒舒服服地睡了一夜。第二天早上,我又继续我的考察。在山谷里,我大约朝北走了四英里,南面和北面是逶不绝的山脉。

  最后,我来到一片开阔地,地势向西倾斜。一湾清溪从山上流下来,向正东流去。眼前一片清新翠绿,欣欣向荣,一派春天气象;周围景色犹如一个人工花园。

   I descended a little on the Side of that delicious Vale, surveying it with a secret Kind of Pleasure, (tho' mixt with my other afflicting Thoughts) to think that this was all my own, that I was King and Lord of all this Country indefeasibly, and had a Right of Possession; and if I could convey it, I might have it in Inheritance, as compleatly as any Lord of a Mannor in England. I saw here Abundance of Cocoa Trees, Orange, and Lemmon, and Citron Trees; but all wild, and very few bearing any Fruit, at least not then: However, the green Limes that I gathered, were not only pleasant to eat, but very wholesome; and I mix'd their Juice afterwards with Water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool, and refreshing.

  我沿着这个风景秀丽的山坡往下走了一段路,心里暗自高兴,却又夹杂着苦恼。我环顾四周,心里不禁想,这一切现在都是我的,我是这地方无可争辩的君王,对这儿拥有所有权,如果可以转让的话,我可以把这块地方传给子孙后代,像英国采邑的领主那样。在那里,我又发现了许多椰子树、橘子树、柠檬树和橙子树,不过都是野生的,很少结果子,至少目前如此。可是我采集的酸橙不仅好吃,且极富营养。后来,我把酸橙的汁掺上水,吃起来又滋养,又清凉,又提神。

   I found now I had Business enough to gather and carry Home; and I resolv'd to lay up a Store, as well of Grapes, as Limes and Lemons, to furnish my self for the wet Season, which I knew was approaching.

  现在,我得采集一些水果运回家了。我采集了葡萄、酸橙和柠檬,准备贮藏起来好在雨季享用。因为我知道,雨季即将来临。

   In Order to this, I gather'd a great Heap of Grapes in one Place, and a lesser Heap in another Place, and a great Parcel of Limes and Lemons in another Place; and taking a few of each with me, I travell'd homeward, and resolv'd to come again, and bring a Bag or Sack, or what I could make to carry the rest Home.

  因此,我采集了许多葡萄堆在一个地方,在另一个地方又堆了一小堆,又采集了一大堆酸橙和柠檬放在另一个地方。然后,我每种都带了一些走上了回家的路。我决定下次回来时,带个袋或其它什么可装水果的东西,把采集下来的水果运回家。

   Accordingly, having spent three Days in this Journey, I came Home; so I must now call my Tent and my Cave: But, before I got thither, the Grapes were spoil'd; the Richness of the Fruits, and the Weight of the Juice having broken them, and bruis'd them, they were good for little or nothing; as to the Limes, they were good, but I could bring but a few.

  路上花了三天才到家。所谓的家,就是我的帐篷和山洞。可是还没到家,葡萄就都烂掉了。这些葡萄长得太饱满,水份很多,在路上一经挤压,就都破碎流水了,因此根本吃不成,只有少数破碎不太厉害的,尚勉强可吃。至于酸橙倒完好无损,可我不可能带得很多。

  第二天,十九日,我带着事先做好的两只小袋子回去装运我的收获物。但是,当我来到葡萄堆前面时,原来饱满完好的葡萄,现在都东一片,西一片被拖散开,有的被践踏得破碎不堪,有的则已吃掉了。眼前的情景一片狼籍。这不禁使我大吃一惊。看来,附近一定有野兽出没;至于什么野兽,当然我无法知道。

   However, as I found there there was no laying them up on Heaps, and no carrying them away in a Sack, but that one Way they would be destroy'd, and the other Way they would be crush'd with their own Weight. I took another Course; for I gather'd a large Quantity of the Grapes, and hung them up upon the out Branches of the Trees, that they might cure and dry in the Sun; and as for the Limes and Lemons, I carry'd as many back as I could well stand under.

  现在我才意识到,把葡萄采集下来堆在一起不是办法,用袋装运回去,也不是办法;堆集起来会被野兽吃掉,装运回去会压碎。于是,我想出了另一个办法。我采集了许多葡萄,把它们挂在树枝上;这些树枝当然能伸出树荫晒得到太阳,让太阳把葡萄晒干。但我可以用袋尽量多带些柠檬和酸橙回来。

   When I came Home from this Journey, I contemplated with great Pleasure the Fruitfulness of that Valley, and the Pleasantness of the Scituation, the Security from Storms on that Side the Water, and the Wood, and concluded, that I had pitch'd upon a Place to fix my Abode, which was by far the worst Part of the Country. Upon the Whole I began to consider of removing my Habitation; and to look out for a ace equally safe, as where I now was scituate, if possible, in that pleasant fruitful Part of the Island.

  这次外出回家后,我想到那山谷物产丰富,风景优美,心里非常高兴。那边靠近溪流,树木茂盛,不怕暴风雨的袭击。我这时才发现,我所选定的住处,实在是全岛最坏的地方。总之,我开始考虑搬家问题,打算在那儿找一个安全的场所安家,因为那儿物产丰富,景色宜人。

   This Thought run long in my Head, and I was exceeding fond of it for some Time, the Pleasantness of the Place tempting me; but when I came to a nearer View of it, and to consider that I was now by the Sea-Side, where it was at least possible that something might happen to my Advantage, and by the same ill Fate that brought me hither, might bring some other unhappy Wretches to the same Place; and tho' it was scarce probable that any such Thing should ever happen, yet to enclose my self among the Hills and Woods, in the Center of the Island, was to anticipate my Bondage, and to render such an Affair not only Improbable, but Impossible; and that therefore I ought not by any Means to remove.

  搬家的念头在我头脑里盘旋了很久;那地方风光明媚,特别诱人。有时,这种念头特别强烈。但仔细一想,住在海边也有住在海边的好处。说不定还有一些别的倒霉蛋,像我一样,交上恶运,来到这座荒岛上。当然,这种事情发生的希望确实很小很小,但把自己关闭在岛中央的山林里,无异于把自己禁闭起来。那时,这种事情不仅没有希望发生,就连可能性也没有了。思前想后,觉得家还是不搬为好。

   However, I was so Enamour'd of this Place, that I spent much of my Time there, for the whole remaining Part of the Month of July; and tho' upon second Thoughts I resolv'd as above, not to remove, yet I built me a little kind of a Bower, and surrounded it at a Distance with a strong Fence, being a double Hedge, as high as I could reach, well stak'd, and fill'd between with Brushwood; and here I lay very secure, sometimes two or three Nights together, always going over it with a Ladder, as before; so that I fancy'd now I had my Country-House, and my Sea-Coast-House: And this Work took me up to the Beginning of August.

  家是不准备搬了,但我确实非常喜欢那地方。因此,在七月份这一个月中,我常去那儿,并决定在那儿造一间茅舍,并用一道结实坚固的围墙把它从外面围起来。围墙是由两层篱笆筑成的,有我自己那么高,桩子打得很牢固,桩子之间塞满了矮树。我睡在里面很安全。有时在里面一连睡上两三个晚上,出入照例也用一架梯子爬上爬下。这样,我想我有了一座乡间住宅和一座海滨住宅。这座乡间住宅到八月初才告完工。

  我刚把新居的围墙打好,准备享受自己的劳动果实,就下起大雨来。我被困在旧居,无法外出。在新居,我也像这儿旧居那样用帆布搭了个帐篷,并且支撑得十分牢固,但那儿没有小山挡住风暴,下大雨时也无山洞可退身。

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名著·鲁宾逊飘流记 - 第24节