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It was during the more pleasant weather, that in due rotation with the other seamen my first mast-head came round.
刚好是个比较令人愉快的天气,我跟其他一些水手轮值,挨到我初次去做桅顶望者。
In most American whalemen the mast-heads are manned almost simultaneously with the vessel's leaving her port; even though she may have fifteen thousand miles, and more, to sail ere reaching her proper cruising ground.
大多数美国捕鲸船,差不多船只一离开港埠,就同时配置了桅顶望者;即使船只到达它的正式的巡游场,还有一万五千海里以上的航程也是如此。
And if, after a three, four, or five years' voyage she is drawing nigh home with anything empty in her-say, an empty vial even-then, her mast-heads are kept manned to the last!
如果在航行了三五年后,船只已将靠近家门,船里什么东西都空了...比如说,连一只小瓶子也空了的时候,还是要把桅顶望者配置到底,
And not till her skysail-poles sail in among the spires of the port, does she altogether relinquish the hope of capturing one whale more.
要到船只的最上桅杆驶进港埠的塔尖丛中,才会完全放弃它那再捉到一条大鲸的希望。
Now, as the business of standing mast-heads, ashore or afloat, is a very ancient and interesting one, let us in some measure expatiate here.
因为桅顶望这项差使,不论是停泊还是行驶的时候,都是一桩古趣盎然的工作,所以,我们不妨在这里稍为细说一番。
I take it, that the earliest standers of mast-heads were the old Egyptians; because, in all my researches, I find none prior to them.
我认为,最早的桅顶?望者就是那些古埃及人,因为根据我的调查研究,我找不到有比他们早的人。
For though their progenitors, the builders of Babel, must doubtless, by their tower, have intended to rear the loftiest mast-head in all Asia, or Africa either;
虽则他们的先辈巴别的缔造者,毫无疑问,一定是想把他们的塔尖造得象最高的船桅一样,高耸在亚洲或者非洲的空际;
yet (ere the final truck was put to it) as that great stone mast of theirs may be said to have gone by the board, in the dread gale of God's wrath;
然而(在加上最后的顶冠之前),由于他们那塔顶的大石杆,可以说是被上帝一阵愤怒所刮起的可怕飓风一扫,给扫到海里去了;
therefore, we cannot give these Babel builders priority over the Egyptians.
因此,我们不能把这种应给埃及人的优先权拿来送给巴别的缔造者。
