英國語文第五冊(雙語):漢德森海灣(4)

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The others are merely defended by wooden pickets or stockades; and a few, where the Indians are quiet and harmless, are entirely destitute of defence of any kind. Some of the chief posts have a complement of about thirty or forty men; but most of them have only ten, five, four, or even two, besides the gentleman in charge.

其他的則由木頭警戒或者柵欄，一些地方的印第安人安靜且無傷害性，這些地方的防御工事則全被撤離。一些郵局有30或者40個(gè)人做后備軍，但大多是10個(gè)，5個(gè)，4個(gè)甚至2個(gè)，除了管理員紳士之外。

The trade carried on in this desolate region is in peltries of all sorts: oil, dried and salted fish, feathers, quills, and ivory.

這個(gè)孤立的區(qū)域進(jìn)行的貿(mào)易是所有的生皮生意：燃油類，腌干魚，羽毛，刺，象牙。

The most valuable of the furs which it produces is that of the black fox. This beautiful animal resembles in shape the common fox of England, but it is much larger, and jet black, with the exception of one or two white hairs along the back bone and a pure white tuft on the end of the tail. A single skin sometimes brings from twenty-five to thirty pounds in the British market! but—they are very scarce.

最有價(jià)值的皮毛是黑狐貍的。這個(gè)漂亮的動物在外型上與英格蘭常見的狐貍很相像，但它更大，是深黑色的，除了在背后的骨頭部位有一兩髻白發(fā)在尾端有一從純白色的髭毛。在英國市場上一塊單獨(dú)的皮能賣到25至30英鎊。但是它們是很稀缺的。

Beaver, in days of yore, was the staple fur of the Territory; but, alas! the silk hat has given it its death-blow. The most profitable fur in the country is that of the marten. It somewhat resembles the Russian sable, and generally maintains a steady price. These animals, moreover, are very numerous, particularly in the region of Mackenzie River, whence great numbers of skins are annually sent to England.

在古代，海貍是這個(gè)地區(qū)主要的皮毛物種，但可惜的是，絲綢帽子使得其近乎消失。最有利可言的則是貂皮。在某種程度上，它看起來像俄羅斯紫貂，并通常保留了一個(gè)穩(wěn)定的價(jià)格。而且，這些動物，數(shù)量很多，尤其是在麥肯齊市河流域，在那兒每年都有大量的貂皮被賣到英格蘭。