One day we had a thrilling experience. There was a regatta in the Northwest Arm, in which the boats from the different warships were engaged. We went in a sail-boat along with many others to watch the races. Hundreds of little sail-boats swung to and fro close by, and the sea was calm. When the races were over, and we turned our faces homeward, one of the party noticed a black cloud drifting in from the sea, which grew and spread and thickened until it covered the whole sky. The wind rose, and the waves chopped angrily at unseen barriers. Our little boat confronted the gale fearlessly; with sails spread and ropes taut, she seemed to sit upon the wind. Now she swirled in the billows, now she sprang upward on a gigantic wave, only to be driven down with angry howl and hiss. Down came the mainsail. Tacking and jibbing, we wrestled with opposing winds that drove us from side to side with impetuous fury. Our hearts beat fast, and our hands trembled with excitement, not fear; for we had the hearts of vikings, and we knew that our skipper was master of the situation. He had steered through many a storm with firm hand and sea-wise eye. As they passed us, the large craft and the gunboats in the harbour saluted and the seamen shouted applause for the master of the only little sail-boat that ventured out into the storm. At last, cold, hungry and weary, we reached our pier.
有一天,我们经历了一次惊心动魄的事件。当时在“西北军驻地”正举行一次赛舟会,而参赛船只则来自不同的战舰。我们随同众人一道登上一条帆船观看比赛。上百条小艇来来回回地从我们身边穿梭而过,海面风平浪静。就在比赛结束,我们正准备回家的时候,人群里有个人发现从海上飘来了一团黑云。这团黑云迅速地扩散增厚,直到遮蔽了整个天空。此时风起云涌,海浪猛烈地击打着堤坝。我们的小船勇敢地面对狂风的袭击,它鼓起风帆,缆绳紧绷,似乎正好坐在风波浪尖之上。很快,它便在波涛中左冲右突,它猛地跃上一个巨大的浪峰,顷刻间就被愤怒的嘶吼声所吞没。随着主帆的下落,小船在浪涛中逆风而行。我们奋力地抵御着风浪的侵袭,而身体却被颠簸得东倒西歪。我们的心剧烈地跳动着,我们的手激动得连连颤抖,我们毫无畏惧。因为我们就在“维京”号的核心位置,而我们的船长则是对付风浪的行家里手,凭借着坚实的手掌和一双老练的眼睛,他曾多次驾船穿越风暴。风浪过后,港口中的大船和炮舰纷纷向我们(升旗)致敬,水手们也为这艘小帆船在风暴中的壮举而欢呼呐喊。终于,伴着寒冷、饥饿和满身的疲惫,我们回到了码头。
Last summer I spent in one of the loveliest nooks of one of the most charming villages in New England. Wrentham, Massachusetts, is associated with nearly all of my joys and sorrows. For many years Red Farm, by King Philip's Pond, the home of Mr. J. E. Chamberlin and his family, was my home. I remember with deepest gratitude the kindness of these dear friends and the happy days I spent with them. The sweet companionship of their children meant much to me. I joined in all their sports and rambles through the woods and frolics in the water. The prattle of the little ones and their pleasure in the stories I told them of elf and gnome, of hero and wily bear, are pleasant things to remember. Mr. Chamberlin initiated me into the mysteries of tree and wild-flower, until with the little ear of love I heard the flow of sap in the oak, and saw the sun glint from leaf to leaf. Thus it is that
去年夏天,我在新英格兰地区的一个最迷人最幽静的村庄里度过了一段愉快的时光。可以说,马萨诸塞州的兰瑟姆是一个几乎涵盖了我所有喜悦和悲伤的地方。很多年来,红色农庄——菲利普国王池塘边钱伯林先生和他的家人的住所,都曾是我的家。我由衷地感谢这些朋友们的仁慈和慷慨,我同他们在一起度过了最美好的时光。对我而言,同他们的子女建立起的友谊尤显珍贵。他们所有的活动我都参加,我们还在林中漫步,在水中嬉戏。我为他们讲述精灵和土地神、英雄和狡猾的黑熊的故事,同这些小孩子们谈天说地,感受着他们的快乐,这对我的确是一种令人愉快的回忆。钱伯伦先生教我辨认神秘的树种和野花,直到我的耳朵似乎听到了橡树体内树液流动的声音,我的眼睛似乎看到了树叶间闪烁的阳光。那景象如同这样的诗句——
Even as the roots, shut in the darksome earth,
根,即使被封存在暗无天日的泥土中
Share in the tree-top's joyance, and conceive
依旧会分享到树冠的喜悦,而且会想象着
Of sunshine and wide air and wing things,
阳光、辽阔的天宇以及林间的飞鸟,
By sympathy of nature, so do I gave evidence of things unseen.
自然和谐有序,我亦顺应天地