Carefully examining this mass, I could identify the swollen outlines of a ship shorn of its masts, which must have sunk bow first. This casualty certainly dated from some far-off time. To be so caked with the limestone of these waters, this wreckage must have spent many a year on the ocean floor.
我認真地觀察了這堆東西后,認為那是一艘船沉重的船殼,桅桿是折斷的,船應該是從前部沉沒的。這樁海難肯定是發(fā)生在遙遠的年代。因為船骸上落滿了這么多的海中灰塵,說明船在海底里已經(jīng)度過了好些年。
What ship was this? Why had the Nautilus come to visit its grave? Was it something other than a maritime accident that had dragged this craft under the waters?
這是一艘什么樣的船呢?為什么“鸚鵡螺號”要來參觀它的墳墓呢?難道不是海難才導致這艘船沉入海底嗎?
I wasn't sure what to think, but next to me I heard Captain Nemo's voice slowly say: "Originally this ship was christened the Marseillais. It carried seventy-four cannons and was launched in 1762. On August 13, 1778, commanded by La Poype-Vertrieux, it fought valiantly against the Preston. On July 4, 1779, as a member of the squadron under Admiral d'Estaing, it assisted in the capture of the island of Grenada. On September 5, 1781, under the Count de Grasse, it took part in the Battle of Chesapeake Bay.
我一直想著這個問題。這時,我聽到尼摩船長走到我的身旁,緩緩地說:“以前,這艘船名叫‘馬賽號’戰(zhàn)艦。它裝配有74門加農(nóng)炮,1762年下水。1778年8 月13日,在拉波普·威爾特利的指揮下,它勇敢地與‘普萊斯通號’戰(zhàn)艦進行了戰(zhàn)斗。1779年7月4日,它協(xié)助德斯坦海軍司令的艦隊攻下格萊那德港。1781年9月5日,它在契薩彼得灣參加了格拉斯伯爵指揮的戰(zhàn)斗。