however, we were willing to accept it, but how to come at it was our next dispute,[qh]
我们当然很想要这些食物,但怎样去拿这些东西却是个问题
for I would not venture on shore to them, and they were as much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all,[qh]
我们自己不敢上岸接近他们,他们也同样怕我们
for they brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great way off till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us again.[qh]
他们把东西先放在岸上,然后走到远处等待,让我们把东西拿上船后再走近岸边
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to make them amends;[qh]
我们打着手势向他们表示感谢,因为我们拿不出什么东西答谢他们
but an opportunity offered that very instant to oblige them wonderfully;[qh]
说来也巧,正当此时,出现了一个大好机会,使我们大大地还了他们的人情
for while we were lying by the shore came two mighty creatures, one pursuing the other (as we took it) with great fury from the mountains towards the sea;[qh]
当时,突然有两只巨兽从山上向海岸边冲来;看那样子,好像后一只正在追逐前一只,[qh]
whether it was the male pursuing the female,[qh]
究竟他们是雌雄相逐,[qh]
or whether they were in sport or in rage, we could not tell, any more than we could tell whether it was usual or strange,[qh]
还是戏耍或争斗,我们也弄不清楚
but I believe it was the latter; because, in the first place, those ravenous creatures seldom appear but in the night;[qh]
但是,照当时的情况判断,后者的可能性更大
and, in the second place, we found the people terribly frighted, especially the women. The man that had the lance or dart did not fly from them, but the rest did;[qh]
其次,我们看到那些黑人惊恐万分,特别是妇女更是害怕
however, as the two creatures ran directly into the water, they did not offer to fall upon any of the negroes,[qh]
可是那两只巨兽跑到海边并没有去袭击那些黑人,[qh]
but plunged themselves into the sea, and swam about, as if they had come for their diversion;[qh]
而是一下子跳到海里,游来游去,好像是在游戏
at last one of them began to come nearer our boat than at first I expected;[qh]
后来,出于我的意料之外,有一只竟跑到我们的船跟前来了
but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun with all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the others.[qh]
好在,我已早有准备
As soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him directly in the head;[qh]
当那巨兽一进入射程,我立即开火,一枪打中了它的头部
immediately he sank down into the water, but rose instantly, and plunged up and down, as if he were struggling for life, and so indeed he was;[qh]
那家伙立即沉下去了,但又马上浮起来在水里上下翻腾,拚命作垂死挣扎;[qh]
he immediately made to the shore;[qh]
然后,匆匆向岸边游去,[qh]
but between the wound, which was his mortal hurt, and the strangling of the water, he died just before he reached the shore.[qh]
但由于受到的是致命伤,又被海水所窒息,还未游到岸边就死了