Chapter 20 In Latitude 47 degrees 24' and Longitude 17 degrees 28'
第二十章 北緯47.24度,西經17.28度
In the aftermath of this storm, we were thrown back to the east. Away went any hope of escaping to the landing places of New York or the St. Lawrence. In despair, poor Ned went into seclusion like Captain Nemo. Conseil and I no longer left each other.
風暴過后,我們已經被拋到了大西洋的東邊。所有在紐約或圣—勞倫斯海岸上逃走的希望都破滅了。可憐的尼德垂頭喪氣地,變得像尼摩船長一樣孤僻。我和康塞爾,我們再也不分開。
As I said, the Nautilus veered to the east. To be more accurate, I should have said to the northeast. Sometimes on the surface of the waves, sometimes beneath them, the ship wandered for days amid these mists so feared by navigators. These are caused chiefly by melting ice, which keeps the air extremely damp. How many ships have perished in these waterways as they tried to get directions from the hazy lights on the coast! How many casualties have been caused by these opaque mists! How many collisions have occurred with these reefs, where the breaking surf is covered by the noise of the wind! How many vessels have rammed each other, despite their running lights, despite the warnings given by their bosun's pipes and alarm bells!
我說了,“鸚鵡螺號”船只偏離到東邊去。我應該更準確地說,是偏離到了東北邊。幾天來,在這片令航海家們進退兩難的大霧中,“鸚鵡螺號”時而漂浮在水波上,時而行走在水波下。大霧的形成主要是因為冰雪融化,大氣中的濕度很大。而這片濃霧,曾經引起了多少海難!曾經有過多少船只在尋找海岸上模糊的航燈時,沉沒在這片海區(qū)里!在這里,又曾經有過多少船只撞在了那風聲掩蓋了浪擊礁石聲的暗礁上!盡管有航標燈,船只之間有汽笛鳴叫,有警報聲,但船與船之間仍然發(fā)生了多少次相撞!
So the floor of this sea had the appearance of a battlefield where every ship defeated by the ocean still lay, some already old and encrusted, others newer and reflecting our beacon light on their ironwork and copper undersides.
因此,這一帶海底展現著戰(zhàn)場的一幕,那里還橫躺著所有的海洋失敗者。有些已經陳舊腐爛;有些還是新的,它們的鐵船具和銅船底反射著我們的探照燈光。