评论
打印
Thereby the weapon is instantly at hand to its hurler, who snatches it up as readily from its rest as a backwoodsman swings his rifle from the wall. It is customary to have two harpoons reposing in the crotch, respectively called the first and second irons.
因此，这种武器，使用人随时都拿得到，他顺手从架子上抓起那把标枪，如同一个森林人随时从墙上摘下他那支来福枪。按照习惯，一只叉柱总是架有两支标枪，分别叫做头枪和二枪。
But these two harpoons, each by its own cord, are both connected with the line; the object being this: to dart them both, if possible, one instantly after the other into the same whale; so that if, in the coming drag, one should draw out, the other may still retain a hold. It is a doubling of the chances. But it very often happens that owing to the instantaneous, violent, convulsive running of the whale upon receiving the first iron, it becomes impossible for the harpooneer, however lightning-like in his movements, to pitch the second iron into him. Nevertheless, as the second iron is already connected with the line, and the line is running, hence that weapon must, at all events, be anticipatingly tossed out of the boat, somehow and somewhere; else the most terrible jeopardy would involve all hands. Tumbled into the water, it accordingly is in such cases; the spare coils of box line (mentioned in a preceding chapter) making this feat, in most instances, prudently practicable.
但是，这两支各缚有一找绳子的标枪，都是连着一根捕鲸索的；其目的是：如果两支都有投出去的可能，就可以一支紧接一支地向那条鲸投去；所以，碰到要拖曳的时候，如果必须拉出一支来，另一支还是可以插在鲸身上。这就是双重的机会。不过往往会出现这种情况：由于大鲸一受到第一枪，便立刻狂游乱窜，弄得那个标枪手，尽管动作迅速如闪电，也无法再对它补上第二枪。然而，因为二枪本来已是跟那根捕鲸索连在一起，而且那根捕鲸索又正在奔着，因此，无论如何，必须把那支标枪先从小艇抛出去，否则，大家就会遭到最可怖的危险。一旦碰到这种情况，标枪往往就滚进海里；那只索桶（前一章已经提到了）里多余的索圈也慢慢地滚出去。
