美國語文第四冊 第116期：長頸鹿（02）
Le Vaillant (the celebrated French traveler and naturalist) was the first who gave us any exact account of the form and habits of the giraffe.
勒.瓦揚（法國著名旅行家和博物學(xué)家）是第一個為我們精確描述長頸鹿的外形和生活習(xí)性的人。
While he was traveling in South Africa, he happened one day to discover a hut covered with the skin of one of those animals;
他在南非旅行時，一天碰巧發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個棚屋上覆蓋著長頸鹿的鹿皮；
and learned to his surprise that he was now in a part of the country where the creature was found.
他驚訝地了解到這里就是發(fā)現(xiàn)長頸鹿的地方。
He could not rest contented until he had seen the animal alive, and had secured a specimen.
除非親自看到野生的長頸鹿，取得標本，否則他無法安心。
Having on several days obtained sight of some of them, he, with his attendants, on horseback and accompaniedwith dogs, gave chase; but they baffled all pursuit.
后來有幾天他看到了一些長頸鹿，因此他和助手騎著馬，帶著獵犬，開始追蹤；但是沒有追到。
After a chase of a whole day, which effected nothing but the fatigue of the party, he began to despair of success.
后來在追了整整一天后，隊伍疲勞極了卻一無所獲，他開始喪失信心了。
"The next day," says he, "by sunrise, I was in pursuit of game, in the hope of obtaining some provisions formy men.
“第二天，”他說，“黎明的時候，我正在追逐獵物，希望為我們的人弄一些吃的。
After several hours' fatigue, we saw, at the turn of a hill, seven giraffes, which my pack of dogs instantlypursued.
幾個小時后，在一個山丘的拐彎處，我們見到七只長頸鹿，獵犬立刻追過去。
Six of them went off together; but the seventh, cut off by my dogs, took another way.
六只長頸鹿一起奔跑；但是第七只長頸鹿被獵犬?dāng)r截，向另一個方向跑去。
