📝 您未登录，登录后完成练习可保存成绩、查看最佳记录。
总字符
0
正确字符
0
错误字符
0
错误率
0.00%
耗时(秒)
0
速度 WPM
0
0 / 71
1THE ARABIAN TUNNEL That same evening, in 21° 30′ N. lat., the Nautilus floated on the surface of the sea, approaching
2the Arabian coast. I saw Djeddah, the most important counting-house of Egypt, Syria, Turkey, and India. I distinguished
3clearly enough its buildings, the vessels anchored at the quays, and those whose draught of water obliged them to anchor
4in the roads. The sun, rather low on the horizon, struck full on the houses of the town, bringing out their whiteness.
5Outside, some wooden cabins, and some made of reeds, showed the quarter inhabited by the Bedouins. Soon Djeddah was shut
6out from view by the shadows of night, and the Nautilus found herself under water slightly phosphorescent. The next day,
7the 10th of February, we sighted several ships running to windward. The Nautilus returned to its submarine navigation;
8but at noon, when her bearings were taken, the sea being deserted, she rose again to her waterline. Accompanied by Ned
9and Conseil, I seated myself on the platform. The coast on the eastern side looked like a mass faintly printed upon a
10damp fog. We were leaning on the sides of the pinnace, talking of one thing and another, when Ned Land, stretching out
11his hand towards a spot on the sea, said: "Do you see anything there, sir?" "No, Ned," I replied; "but I have not your
12eyes, you know." "Look well," said Ned, "there, on the starboard beam, about the height of the lantern! Do you not see a
13mass which seems to move?" "Certainly," said I, after close attention; "I see something like a long black body on the
14top of the water." And certainly before long the black object was not more than a mile from us. It looked like a great
15sandbank deposited in the open sea. It was a gigantic dugong! Ned Land looked eagerly. His eyes shone with covetousness
16at the sight of the animal. His hand seemed ready to harpoon it. One would have thought he was awaiting the moment to
17throw himself into the sea and attack it in its element. At this instant Captain Nemo appeared on the platform. He saw
18the dugong, understood the Canadian's attitude, and, addressing him, said: "If you held a harpoon just now, Master Land,
19would it not burn your hand?" "Just so, sir." "And you would not be sorry to go back, for one day, to your trade of a
20fisherman and to add this cetacean to the list of those you have already killed?" "I should not, sir." "Well, you can
21try." "Thank you, sir," said Ned Land, his eyes flaming. "Only," continued the Captain, "I advise you for your own sake
22not to miss the creature." "Is the dugong dangerous to attack?" I asked, in spite of the Canadian's shrug of the
23shoulders. "Yes," replied the Captain; "sometimes the animal turns upon its assailants and overturns their boat. But for
24Master Land this danger is not to be feared. His eye is prompt, his arm sure." At this moment seven men of the crew,
25mute and immovable as ever, mounted the platform. One carried a harpoon and a line similar to those employed in catching
26whales. The pinnace was lifted from the bridge, pulled from its socket, and let down into the sea. Six oarsmen took
27their seats, and the coxswain went to the tiller. Ned, Conseil, and I went to the back of the boat. "You are not coming,
28Captain?" I asked. "No, sir; but I wish you good sport." The boat put off, and, lifted by the six rowers, drew rapidly
29towards the dugong, which floated about two miles from the Nautilus. Arrived some cables-length from the cetacean, the
30speed slackened, and the oars dipped noiselessly into the quiet waters. Ned Land, harpoon in hand, stood in the fore
31part of the boat. The harpoon used for striking the whale is generally attached to a very long cord which runs out
32rapidly as the wounded creature draws it after him. But here the cord was not more than ten fathoms long, and the
33extremity was attached to a small barrel which, by floating, was to show the course the dugong took under the water. I
34stood and carefully watched the Canadian's adversary. This dugong, which also bears the name of the halicore, closely
35resembles the manatee; its oblong body terminated in a lengthened tail, and its lateral fins in perfect fingers. Its
36difference from the manatee consisted in its upper jaw, which was armed with two long and pointed teeth which formed on
37each side diverging tusks. This dugong which Ned Land was preparing to attack was of colossal dimensions; it was more
38than seven yards long. It did not move, and seemed to be sleeping on the waves, which circumstance made it easier to
39capture. The boat approached within six yards of the animal. The oars rested on the rowlocks. I half rose. Ned Land, his
40body thrown a little back, brandished the harpoon in his experienced hand. Suddenly a hissing noise was heard, and the
41dugong disappeared. The harpoon, although thrown with great force; had apparently only struck the water. "Curse it!"
42exclaimed the Canadian furiously; "I have missed it!" "No," said I; "the creature is wounded--look at the blood; but
43your weapon has not stuck in his body." "My harpoon! my harpoon!" cried Ned Land. The sailors rowed on, and the coxswain
44made for the floating barrel. The harpoon regained, we followed in pursuit of the animal. The latter came now and then
45to the surface to breathe. Its wound had not weakened it, for it shot onwards with great rapidity. The boat, rowed by
46strong arms, flew on its track. Several times it approached within some few yards, and the Canadian was ready to strike,
47but the dugong made off with a sudden plunge, and it was impossible to reach it. Imagine the passion which excited
48impatient Ned Land! He hurled at the unfortunate creature the most energetic expletives in the English tongue. For my
49part, I was only vexed to see the dugong escape all our attacks. We pursued it without relaxation for an hour, and I
50began to think it would prove difficult to capture, when the animal, possessed with the perverse idea of vengeance of
51which he had cause to repent, turned upon the pinnace and assailed us in its turn. This manœuvre did not escape the
52Canadian. "Look out!" he cried. The coxswain said some words in his outlandish tongue, doubtless warning the men to keep
53on their guard. The dugong came within twenty feet of the boat, stopped, sniffed the air briskly with its large nostrils
54(not pierced at the extremity, but in the upper part of its muzzle). Then, taking a spring, he threw himself upon us.
55The pinnace could not avoid the shock, and half upset, shipped at least two tons of water, which had to be emptied; but,
56thanks to the coxswain, we caught it sideways, not full front, so we were not quite overturned. While Ned Land, clinging
57to the bows, belaboured the gigantic animal with blows from his harpoon, the creature's teeth were buried in the
58gunwale, and it lifted the whole thing out of the water, as a lion does a roebuck. We were upset over one another, and I
59know not how the adventure would have ended, if the Canadian, still enraged with the beast, had not struck it to the
60heart. I heard its teeth grind on the iron plate, and the dugong disappeared, carrying the harpoon with him. But the
61barrel soon returned to the surface, and shortly after the body of the animal, turned on its back. The boat came up with
62it, took it in tow, and made straight for the Nautilus. It required tackle of enormous strength to hoist the dugong on
63to the platform. It weighed 10,000 lbs. The next day, 11th February, the larder of the Nautilus was enriched by some
64more delicate game. A flight of sea-swallows rested on the Nautilus. It was a species of the Sterna nilotica, peculiar
65to Egypt; its beak is black, head grey and pointed, the eye surrounded by white spots, the back, wings, and tail of a
66greyish colour, the belly and throat white, and claws red. They also took some dozen of Nile ducks, a wild bird of high
67flavour, its throat and upper part of the head white with black spots. About five o'clock in the evening we sighted to
68the north the Cape of Ras-Mohammed. This cape forms the extremity of Arabia Petraea, comprised between the Gulf of Suez
69and the Gulf of Acabah. The Nautilus penetrated into the Straits of Jubal, which leads to the Gulf of Suez. I distinctly
70saw a high mountain, towering between the two gulfs of Ras-Mohammed. It was Mount Horeb, that Sinai at the top of which
71Moses saw God face to face.
🎉 全部完成！共 71 行