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From its savage disposition, it is a very dangerous animal to attack;
长长须鲸野蛮的习性，使它成为一种很危险的动物，不能轻易对其发起攻击。
for not only does it swim off at rapid speed when a harpoon is struck into it, carrying out line after line,
因为如果被捕鲸叉叉中，它们不仅游得飞快，将鱼线拖得越来越长，
but it often turns on its assailants with open mouth, or dashes their boats to pieces by the strokes of its powerful tail!
而且它们还会张开血盆大口回过头来进攻攻击它们的人，或者用强有力的鱼尾将船撞得粉碎！
Captain Scoresby, the well-known naturalist and commander of Arctic whale-ships,
斯克斯比船长是位有名的博物学家，也是北极捕鲸船的船长。
made several attempts to capture one of these monsters.
他想要捕杀一条长须鲸。
His plan was to assail it by harpoons attached to short lines of only four hundred yards in length,
他计划用绑着一根仅长400码的捕鲸叉去攻击它，
secured to buoys, so as to tire out the monster.
鱼线上绑着浮标，以此来使长须鲸筋疲力尽。
The first whale struck, immediately dived, and tore off the buoys as it dragged them against the surface of the water.
他们叉住了一只，这只长须鲸马上下潜，海面上的浮标也跟着被拖走。
Again the attempt was made; but in this case the line was almost immediately severed,
它又挣扎了一次，这一次几乎把鱼线都弄断了，
—probably by friction against the dorsal fin.
——可能是由于与长须鲸背部的鱼鳍摩擦。
A fearful accident occurred to the boat's crew of another whaler when attacking a rorqual.
另一艘捕鲸船的船员，在捕鲸时碰到了一件可怕的事情。
A whale was seen between the ship and the ice-field.
他们在船和一片冰原之间发现了一头长须鲸。
The boats were lowered, in hope of easily capturing the prize.
为了更容易捕捉到这只长须鲸，他们把船往下放了一些。
The leading boat dashes on. The harpooner stands up with his weapon in hand.
领航的船出发了。鱼叉手拿着捕鲸叉待命。
The whale awaits their approach, floating on the surface.
长须鲸在水面游动，等待着他们靠近。
In a minute more he will be down.
再过一分钟，它就要潜下去了。
The boats are up to him. The weapon flies, plunging deep into his side.
船径直来到它的身边，鱼叉手扔出捕鲸叉，鱼叉深深插入了长须鲸身体的一边。
As the line runs rapidly out, the harpooner secures it to the bollard.
鱼线迅速被拖长，鱼叉手将其绑在系缆桩上。
