(原版)澳大利亞語文第三冊 LESSON 9
LESSON 9 GRACE DARLING
GRACE DARLING
1. Off the north-east coast of England there are some islands, known as the Farne Islands. On one of these is the Longstone Lighthouse [1] , in which a brave girl, named Grace Darling, lived with her father and mother.
2. It was a lonely life she led; she had no playmates, and she spent most of her time in helping in the work of the lighthouse.
3. Nobody, except her parents, knew much about Grace, until she was twenty-two years of age. Then she did a brave deed, which made her known all over the world, and to this day, even, it is not forgotten.
4. In the month of September, 1838, a steamship, sailing from Hull in England to Dundee in Scotland, met with some very stormy weather on her voyage.
5. The vessel was not strong, her engines were weak, and she was driven ashore and wrecked upon one of the Farne Islands.
6. Grace and her father were looking over the sea, and they saw the vessel lying on the rocks. The huge waves soon broke the ship into two parts.
7. Many of the crew and passengers were washed into the sea and drowned, but a few were left on the doomed [2] vessel, and it seemed as if they, too, must perish before long.
8． Grace begged her father to set out in his boat to the help of the poor people. Her father, seeing how rough the sea was, and knowing that his boat was an old one, would not consent to go.
9. Grace then made up her mind that if her father would not go, she, herself, would try to save them. She jumped into the boat, seized the oars, and was about to start, when her father said he would go with her.
10. They had about a mile to row, and many times they feared that their boat would be broken by the big waves. They kept on in spite of their danger, and at last, almost by a miracle [3] it seemed, they reached the rock.
11. Nine persons were taken into the boat, and the whole party then set out for the lighthouse, which they reached in safety. Here the shipwrecked people were well cared for.
12. No one else was saved, and no doubt these nine would have been drowned, but for the efforts of this brave girl.
13. The story soon spread, and everybody praised her. Artists flocked to her home, to paint her portrait and the scene of the wreck.
THEY HAD ABOUT A MILE TO ROW.
14. A large sum of money was collected and given to Grace for her great courage. Grace did not wish to accept it, for she said she had only done her duty.
* * *
[1] lighthouse: A high tower carrying a light to warn and guide sailors.
[2] doomed: Certain to be destroyed.
[3] miracle: A great wonder.
