Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо (в пересказе для детей)
Шрифт:
I saw then that I was sailing midway between two strong currents (я увидел затем, что я плыл посредине между двумя сильными течениями). If I should be caught in either (если бы я попал: «был пойман» в одно из них; to catch — ловить), I would again be carried out to sea (я бы опять был вынесен в море).
I needed all the skill I had to steer the canoe aright (мне нужно было все мое умение, которое у меня было, чтобы направить каноэ в нужном направлении; aright — верно, правильно). At last, when the sun was almost down (наконец,
perilous ['perls], given ['vn], idea [a'd], trial ['tral], failure ['felj], succeed [sk'si:d], person [p:sn], river ['rv], supply [s'pla], afraid ['fred], furious ['fjurs], current ['krnt], sluice [slu:s], whirl [w:l], edge [e], calm [k:m]
I HAD never given up the idea of having a canoe.
My first trial, as you have seen, was a failure. I had made too big a boat, and I had made it too far from the water. I could do better another time. One day after I had harvested my grain, I set to work.
There was no tree near the river that was fit for a canoe. But I found a fine one nearly half a mile away.
Before I began to chop the tree, I made all my plans for taking the canoe to the water.
I worked now with a will, for I felt sure that I would succeed.
In a few weeks the little vessel was finished. It was a very pretty canoe, and large enough for only two or three persons.
Small as it was, it was quite heavy. For you must remember that it was a part of the tree, hollowed out and shaped like a boat. It was as much as I could do to lift one end of it.
How should I ever get it to the river?
I have already told you that I had made plans for this.
Through the soft ground between the river and the canoe I dug a big ditch. It was four feet deep and six feet wide and nearly half a mile long.
I worked at this ditch for nearly two years. When it was done and filled with water from the river, I slid my canoe into it. It floated, as I knew it would.
As I pushed it along to the end of the great ditch and out into the river, it looked very small. I could never hope to make a long voyage in it!
But I could sail round the island, and make little journeys close to the shore.
Before starting out, I put up a mast in the prow of the canoe and made a sail for it of a piece of the ship's sail that I had kept with great care.
Then at each end of the little vessel I made lockers or small boxes, in which I put a supply of food and other things that I would need on my voyage.
On the inside of the vessel I cut a little, long, hollow place or shelf where I could lay my gun; and above this I tacked a long flap of goatskin to hang down over it and keep it dry.
In the stern I set up my umbrella, so that it would keep the hot sun off of me while I was steering the canoe.
Then every day I made short trips down the river to the sea and back again. Sometimes, when the wind was fair, I sailed a little way out; but I was afraid to go far.
At last I made up my mind for a voyage around the island.
I filled my lockers with food. In one I put two dozen barley cakes and a pot full of parched rice. In the other I stored the hind quarters of a goat.
I also put in powder and shot enough to kill as much game as I would need.
On a day in November I set sail on my voyage. It proved to be a harder voyage than I had bargained for.
In the first place, there were so many rocks along the shore that I sometimes had to sail for miles out into the sea to get around them.
Then, when I was on the farther side of the island, I struck a furious current of water that was pouring round a point of land like the sluice of mill.
I could do nothing in such a current. My canoe was whirled along like a leaf in a whirlwind. The sail was of no use. The little vessel spun round and round in the eddies and was carried far out to sea.
I gave myself up for lost. I was so far out that I could hardly see the low shores of my island.
Suddenly I noticed that the canoe was only a little way from the edge of the current. Just beyond it the water was quite calm and smooth.
I took up my paddle again and paddled with all my might. With great joy I soon found myself floating in quiet water.
The wind was fair for the shore, and I set my sail again. The canoe sped swiftly back toward the island.
I saw then that I was sailing midway between two strong currents. If I should be caught in either, I would again be carried out to sea.
I needed all the skill I had to steer the canoe aright. At last, when the sun was almost down, I brought it into a quiet little cove where the shore was green with grass.
I AM ALARMED BY A VOICE
(я
AS soon as I touched the land (как только я коснулся земли), I fell upon my knees and gave God thanks for bringing me safe out of so great danger (я пал на колени и возблагодарил Бога: «отдал Богу благодарности» за то, что он вывел меня живым из такой большой опасности).
I made the canoe fast to a rock by the shore (привязал каноэ к скале у берега; fast — крепкий, твердый), and lay down on the grass (и лег на траву).
I was so tired (я был таким уставшим) that I soon fell asleep (что скоро заснул) and did not waken once until the next morning (и не просыпался до следующего утра).
I went up a little hill close by the shore (я поднялся по маленькому холму /расположенному/ близко к берегу), and looked around to see what part of the island I was in (и осмотрелся вокруг, чтобы увидеть, в какой части острова я был).