It was the 6th of May, a day which corresponds to the 6th of November in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere. —
5月6日，这一天在北半球国家对应于11月6日。 —

The sky had been obscured for some days, and it was of importance to make preparations for the winter. —
这几天天空一直被遮蔽，要为冬天做好准备是很重要的。 —

However, the temperature was not as yet much lower, and a centigrade thermometer, transported to Lincoln Island, would still have marked an average of ten to twelve degrees above zero. —
然而，温度还没有降得很低，如果把一支摄氏度计送到林肯岛上，平均温度仍然会标示10到12摄氏度以上。 —

This was not surprising, since Lincoln Island, probably situated between the thirty-fifth and fortieth parallel, would be subject, in the Southern Hemisphere, to the same climate as Sicily or Greece in the Northern Hemisphere. —
这并不奇怪，因为林肯岛可能位于南半球的35到40纬度之间，所以在南半球，会受到北半球的西西里岛或希腊一样的气候影响。 —

But as Greece and Sicily have severe cold, producing snow and ice, so doubtless would Lincoln Island in the severest part of the winter and it was advisable to provide against it.
但是就像希腊和西西里会出现严寒、积雪和结冰一样，毫无疑问，林肯岛在最严寒的冬天也会如此，因此有必要做好准备。

In any case if cold did not yet threaten them, the rainy season would begin, and on this lonely island, exposed to all the fury of the elements, in mid-ocean, bad weather would be frequent, and probably terrible. —
无论如何，即使寒流还没有威胁到他们，雨季也将开始，在这个被置于孤立岛屿、在大洋中，暴风雨频繁且可能恶劣的地方，坏天气会经常发生。 —

The question of a more comfortable dwelling than the Chimneys must therefore be seriously considered and promptly resolved on.
比起烟囱，一个比较舒适的住所问题必须认真考虑并迅速解决。

Pencroft, naturally, had some predilection for the retreat which he had discovered, but he well understood that another must be found. —
佩恩克洛夫自然会更倾向于他所发现的避难所，但他也很明白必须找到另一个地方。 —

The Chimneys had been already visited by the sea, under circumstances which are known, and it would not do to be exposed again to a similar accident.
烟囱已经被海水袭击过，情况众所周知，再次暴露在类似情况下是不可取的。

“Besides,” added Cyrus Harding, who this day was talking of these things with his companions, “we have some precautions to take.”
“而且，”这一天与伙伴们交谈这些事情的赛勒斯·哈丁补充道，“我们还有一些预防措施要采取。”

“Why? The island is not inhabited,” said the reporter.
“为什么呢？这个岛上没有人居住，”记者说。

“That is probable,” replied the engineer, “although we have not yet explored the interior; —
“这很有可能，”工程师回答道，“尽管我们还没有探索过内陆； —

but if no human beings are found, I fear that dangerous animals may abound. —
但如果找不到人类，我担心会有危险的动物出没。 —

It is necessary to guard against a possible attack, so that we shall not be obliged to watch every night, or to keep up a fire. —
我们必须防范可能的袭击，以免被迫每晚守夜或生火。 —

And then, my friends, we must foresee everything. —
而且，我的朋友们，我们必须面面俱到。” —

We are here in a part of the Pacific often frequented by Malay pirates–”
我们现在身处太平洋的一个经常有马来海盗出没的地区–”

“What!” said Herbert, “at such a distance from land?”
“什么！”赫伯特说道，”离陆地这么远？”

“Yes, my boy,” replied the engineer. “These pirates are bold sailors as well as formidable enemies, and we must take measures accordingly.”
“是的，我的孩子，”工程师回答道，”这些海盗不仅是勇敢的水手，还是可怕的敌人，我们必须做好相应的准备。”

“Well,” replied Pencroft, “we will fortify ourselves against savages with two legs as well as against savages with four. —
“好吧，”潘克罗夫回答道，”我们将为自己防御起步足二腿的野蛮人和四足的野蛮人。 —

But, captain, will it not be best to explore every part of the island before undertaking anything else?”
不过，队长，最好在着手其他事情之前探索岛屿的每一个部分吗？”

“That would be best,” added Gideon Spilett.
“这是最好的，”基迪恩·斯皮莱特补充道。

“Who knows if we might not find on the opposite side one of the caverns which we have searched for in vain here?”
“谁知道我们是否能在对面的一侧找到这里徒劳寻找的洞穴之一呢？”

“That is true,” replied the engineer, “but you forget, my friends, that it will be necessary to establish ourselves in the neighborhood of a watercourse, and that, from the summit of Mount Franklin, we could not see towards the west, either stream or river. —
“那是真的，”工程师回答道，”但是你们忘了，我的朋友们，我们需要在水域附近建立栖身之所，从富兰克林山的山顶，我们看不到西边的溪流或河流。 —

Here, on the contrary, we are placed between the Mercy and Lake Grant, an advantage which must not be neglected. —
这里，相反，我们位于梅西河和格兰特湖之间，这是一个不可忽视的优势。 —

And, besides, this side, looking towards the east, is not exposed as the other is to the trade-winds, which in this hemisphere blow from the northwest.”
并且，朝着东方的这一侧，与另一侧面向贸易风不同，这里的贸易风来自西北方向。

“Then, captain,” replied the sailor, “let us build a house on the edge of the lake. —
“那么，船长，”水手回答道，”让我们在湖边建一座房子。 —

Neither bricks nor tools are wanting now. —
现在既不缺砖也不缺工具。 —

After having been brickmakers, potters, smelters, and smiths, we shall surely know how to be masons!”
在经历过制砖、制陶、冶炼和锻造之后，我们肯定会知道如何成为石匠！”

“Yes, my friend; but before coming to any decision we must consider the matter thoroughly. —
“是的，我的朋友，但在做出任何决定之前，我们必须仔细考虑这件事。 —

A natural dwelling would spare us much work, and would be a surer retreat, for it would be as well defended against enemies from the interior as those from outside.”
一个自然的住所会帮我们省下许多工作，并且更安全，因为它可以像针对外部敌人一样针对来自内部的敌人进行防御。”

“That is true, Cyrus,” replied the reporter, “but we have already examined all that mass of granite, and there is not a hole, not a cranny!”
“这是真的，赛勒斯，”记者回答道，“但我们已经检查了所有那些花岗岩，没有一个洞，没有一个裂缝！”

“No, not one!” added Pencroft. “Ah, if we were able to dig out a dwelling in that cliff, at a good height, so as to be out of the reach of harm, that would be capital! —
“不，一个都没有！”潘克罗夫补充道。“啊，如果我们能挖出一所住宅在那个悬崖上，位置高一点，远离危险，那就太好了！ —

I can see that on the front which looks seaward, five or six rooms–”
“我可以看到面朝海的那一面有五六个房间–”

“With windows to light them!” said Herbert, laughing.
“有窗户照亮它们！”赫伯特笑着说。

“And a staircase to climb up to them!” added Neb.
“还有楼梯上去！”内布补充道。

“You are laughing,” cried the sailor, “and why? What is there impossible in what I propose? —
“你在笑，”水手喊道，“为什么？我提议的事情有什么不可能的吗？ —

Haven’t we got pickaxes and spades? Won’t Captain Harding be able to make powder to blow up the mine? —
我们没有镐头和铁锹吗？哈定船长不是能制造火药来炸开矿坑吗？ —

Isn’t it true, captain, that you will make powder the very day we want it?”
船长，你不是说我们需要的那一天就能制造火药吗？”

Cyrus Harding listened to the enthusiastic Pencroft developing his fanciful projects. —
赛勒斯·哈定听着热情的潘克罗夫发展他的幻想项目。 —

To attack this mass of granite, even by a mine, was Herculean work, and it was really vexing that nature could not help them at their need. —
攻击这块花岗岩，即使是通过矿，也是艰巨的工作，真是令人恼火，自然不能在他们需要时帮助他们。 —

But the engineer did not reply to the sailor except by proposing to examine the cliff more attentively, from the mouth of the river to the angle which terminated it on the north.
但工程师除了建议从河口到北端结束它的角落更仔细地检查悬崖外，没有回答水手。

They went out, therefore, and the exploration was made with extreme care, over an extent of nearly two miles. —
因此，他们出去了，对近两英里的范围进行了极为仔细的勘察。 —

But in no place in the bare, straight cliff, could any cavity be found. —
但在这个光秃秃、笔直的悬崖上，任何地方都找不到空洞。 —

The nests of the rock pigeons which fluttered at its summit were only, in reality, holes bored at the very top, and on the irregular edge of the granite.
在其顶部飞动的岩鸽的窝实际上只是在花岗岩的不规则边缘上打孔的洞。

It was a provoking circumstance, and as to attacking this cliff, either with pickaxe or with powder, so as to effect a sufficient excavation, it was not to be thought of. —
这是一个令人恼火的情况，至于攻击这个悬崖，无论是用镐还是火药，以进行足够的挖掘，都不可想象。 —

It so happened that, on all this part of the shore, Pencroft had discovered the only habitable shelter, that is to say, the Chimneys, which now had to be abandoned.
碰巧的是，在这段海岸上，潘克罗夫发现了唯一可居住的避难所，也就是烟囱，现在不得不放弃。

The exploration ended, the colonists found themselves at the north angle of the cliff, where it terminated in long slopes which died away on the shore. —
探险结束时，殖民者们发现自己位于悬崖北角，悬崖在这里以缓坡结束，然后消失在海岸上。 —

From this place, to its extreme limit in the west, it only formed a sort of declivity, a thick mass of stones, earth, and sand, bound together by plants, bushes, and grass inclined at an angle of only forty-five degrees. —
从这个地方到西边的极限，只形成一种类似于倾斜的坡度，一大团由植物、灌木和草浓密地绑在一起的石头、土和沙，呈四十五度的角度倾斜。 —

Clumps of trees grew on these slopes, which were also carpeted with thick grass. —
这些斜坡上长着丛生的树，也被厚密的草覆盖。 —

But the vegetation did not extend far, and a long, sandy plain, which began at the foot of these slopes, reached to the beach.
但植被并没有延伸很远，长长的沙地平原从这些斜坡的脚下一直延伸到海滩。

Cyrus Harding thought, not without reason, that the overplus of the lake must overflow on this side. —
赛勒斯·哈丁认为，这片湖的水多余必定会从这边溢出。 —

The excess of water furnished by the Red Creek must also escape by some channel or other. —
红河提供的过多水分也必须通过某种渠道排出。 —

Now the engineer had not yet found this channel on any part of the shore already explored, that is to say, from the mouth of the stream on the west of Prospect Heights.
现在，工程师还没有在已经探索过的任何海岸上找到这个渠道，也就是说，从展望山脚西边的溪流口开始。

The engineer now proposed to his companions to climb the slope, and to return to the Chimneys by the heights, while exploring the northern and eastern shores of the lake. —
工程师建议同伴们沿着斜坡爬升，通过高地返回烟囱，同时探索湖的北部和东部海岸。 —

The proposal was accepted, and in a few minutes Herbert and Neb were on the upper plateau. —
提议得到接受，几分钟后赫伯特和尼布已经在上面的高原上了。 —

Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, and Pencroft followed with more sedate steps.
赛勒斯·哈丁、吉迪恩·斯比莱特和潘克罗夫步伐稳定地跟随。

The beautiful sheet of water glittered through the trees under the rays of the sun. —
美丽的水面在阳光下的树木间闪闪发光。 —

In this direction the country was charming. The eye feasted on the groups of trees. —
这个方向的乡村景致令人陶醉。眼前是成群的树木。 —

Some old trunks, bent with age, showed black against the verdant grass which covered the ground. —
一些因老去而弯曲的古树在覆盖地面的翠绿草地上显得黑色。 —

Crowds of brilliant cockatoos screamed among the branches, moving prisms, hopping from one bough to another.
一群群灿烂的白鹦鹉在树枝间尖叫着，活动着光棱，从一根树枝跳到另一根树枝。

The settlers instead of going directly to the north bank of the lake, made a circuit round the edge of the plateau, so as to join the mouth of the creek on its left bank. —
移民们没有直接走向湖的北岸，而是绕着高原边缘走了一个圈，以便与左岸的小溪汇合。 —

It was a detour of more than a mile and a half. —
这是一个超过一英里半的绕行路线。 —

Walking was easy, for the trees widely spread, left a considerable space between them. —
行走很容易，因为树木分散，留下了相当大的空间。 —

The fertile zone evidently stopped at this point, and vegetation would be less vigorous in the part between the course of the Creek and the Mercy.
肥沃的土地显然在这一点停止了，在溪流和梅西河之间的这部分地区植被将会较弱。

Cyrus Harding and his companions walked over this new ground with great care. —
赛勒斯·哈丁和他的同伴非常小心地走过这片新领土。 —

Bows, arrows, and sticks with sharp iron points were their only weapons. —
弓、箭和带有尖铁头的棍子是他们唯一的武器。 —

However, no wild beast showed itself, and it was probable that these animals frequented rather the thick forests in the south; —
然而，没有野兽出现，很可能这些动物更多地出现在南部的茂密森林中； —

but the settlers had the disagreeable surprise of seeing Top stop before a snake of great size, measuring from fourteen to fifteen feet in length. —
但移民们却有一个让人不愉快的惊喜，看到小狗托普在一条长度约十四到十五英尺的大蛇面前停下来。 —

Neb killed it by a blow from his stick. Cyrus Harding examined the reptile, and declared it not venomous, for it belonged to that species of diamond serpents which the natives of New South Wales rear. —
尼布用棍子击毙了它。赛勒斯·哈丁检查了这条爬行动物，并声明它是无毒的，因为它属于新南威尔士土著饲养的一种钻石蛇。 —

But it was possible that others existed whose bite was mortal such as the deaf vipers with forked tails, which rise up under the feet, or those winged snakes, furnished with two ears, which enable them to proceed with great rapidity. —
但有可能存在其他是致命的、比如那些具有叉尾的聋蛇，会在脚下升起的蛇，或那些长有两只耳朵的翼蛇，它们能使它们以极快的速度前进。 —

Top, the first moment of surprise over, began a reptile chase with such eagerness, that they feared for his safety. —
托普在惊讶的第一刻过后立即开始了追捕爬虫动物的行动，以至于他们担心他的安全。 —

His master called him back directly.
他的主人立即把他叫了回来。

The mouth of the Red Creek, at the place where it entered into the lake, was soon reached. —
红色小溪的河口很快到了。 —

The explorers recognized on the opposite shore the point which they had visited on their descent from Mount Franklin. —
探险者们认出了对岸他们从富兰克林山下到达的那个点。 —

Cyrus Harding ascertained that the flow of water into it from the creek was considerable. —
赛勒斯·哈丁确认从小溪流入湖中的水流是相当可观的。 —

Nature must therefore have provided some place for the escape of the overplus. —
因此，大自然必须提供一些地方来排放过剩的水。 —

This doubtless formed a fall, which, if it could be discovered, would be of great use.
这无疑形成了一个瀑布，如果能够找到的话，将会非常有用。

The colonists, walking apart, but not straying far from each other, began to skirt the edge of the lake, which was very steep. —
殖民者们分开行走，但并不远离彼此，开始绕着湖边走，湖边非常陡峭。 —

The water appeared to be full of fish, and Pencroft resolved to make some fishing-rods, so as to try and catch some.
水中似乎有很多鱼，潘克洛夫决定做一些钓竿，试图捕捉一些。

The northeast point was first to be doubled. —
东北点首先要绕过。 —

It might have been supposed that the discharge of water was at this place, for the extremity of the lake was almost on a level with the edge of the plateau. —
可能会被认为排水口就在此处，因为湖的尽头几乎与高原边缘平齐。 —

But no signs of this were discovered, and the colonists continued to explore the bank, which, after a slight bend, descended parallel to the shore.
但没有发现这方面的迹象，殖民者们继续探索河岸，河岸在稍稍弯曲后与岸边平行。

On this side the banks were less woody, but clumps of trees, here and there, added to the picturesqueness of the country. —
这一边的岸边树木较少，但这里那里的树丛增加了这片土地的风景。 —

Lake Grant was viewed from thence in all its extent, and no breath disturbed the surface of its waters. —
从那里观看格兰特湖的全部景观，湖面没有一丝波澜。 —

Top, in beating the bushes, put up flocks of birds of different kinds, which Gideon Spilett and Herbert saluted with arrows. —
拓普在拍打灌木丛时，惊起了不同种类的鸟群，吉迪恩·斯宾莱特和赫伯特用箭向它们致敬。 —

One was hit by the lad, and fell into some marshy grass. —
一个被小男孩射中，掉进了一些多沼泽草中。 —

Top rushed forward, and brought a beautiful swimming bird, of a slate color, short beak, very developed frontal plate, and wings edged with white. —
拓普冲过去，带来了一只美丽的水鸟，呈石板色，喙短，前额板发达，翅膀边缘带白色。 —

It was a “coot,” the size of a large partridge, belonging to the group of macrodactyls which form the transition between the order of wading birds and that of palmipeds. —
这是一只“泽鸭”，像一只大的山鹑，属于形成涉禽鸟类和凫类之间过渡的类群。 —

Sorry game, in truth, and its flavor is far from pleasant. —
确实是一种不起眼的猎物，它的味道远非惬意。 —

But Top was not so particular in these things as his masters, and it was agreed that the coot should be for his supper.
但拓普对这些事情并不那么挑剔，大家一致同意将泽鸭作为它的晚餐。

The settlers were now following the eastern bank of the lake, and they would not be long in reaching the part which they already knew. —
移民们现在正沿着湖岸向东走去，他们很快就会到达他们已经熟悉的地方。 —

The engineer was much surprised at not seeing any indication of the discharge of water. —
工程师对未看到任何排水迹象感到非常惊讶。 —

The reporter and the sailor talked with him, and he could not conceal his astonishment.
记者和水手与他交谈，他无法掩饰自己的惊讶。

At this moment Top, who had been very quiet till then, gave signs of agitation. —
就在这时，一直很安静的狗狗托普开始表现出不安的迹象。 —

The intelligent animal went backwards and forwards on the shore, stopped suddenly, and looked at the water, one paw raised, as if he was pointing at some invisible game; —
这只聪明的动物来回走动在岸边，突然停下来，望着水面，一只爪子举起，仿佛在指向某种看不见的猎物； —

then he barked furiously, and was suddenly silent.
然后他狂吠起来，突然间又安静下来。

Neither Cyrus Harding nor his companions had at first paid any attention to Top’s behavior; —
赛勒斯·哈丁和他的伙伴们一开始并没有注意到托普的行为； —

but the dog’s barking soon became so frequent that the engineer noticed it.
但是狗狗的叫声很快变得频繁，工程师注意到了。

“What is there, Top?” he asked.
“托普，发生了什么？” 他问。

The dog bounded towards his master, seeming to be very uneasy, and then rushed again towards the bank. —
狗狗朝着主人冲去，看起来很不安，然后又冲向岸边。 —

Then, all at once, he plunged into the lake.
紧接着，突然间，它跳进了湖里。

“Here, Top!” cried Cyrus Harding, who did not like his dog to venture into the treacherous water.
“托普，过来！” 赛勛·哈丁喊道，不希望他的狗冒险进入这个狡猾的水域。

“What’s happening down there?” asked Pencroft, examining the surface of the lake.
“下面发生了什么事？” 本克罗夫特问道，检查着湖面。

“Top smells some amphibious creature,” replied Herbert.
“托普嗅到了一些两栖生物，” 赫伯特回答。

“An alligator, perhaps,” said the reporter.
“也许是鳄鱼，” 记者说道。

“I do not think so,” replied Harding. “Alligators are only met with in regions less elevated in latitude.”
“我不这么认为，”哈丁回答道。“鳄鱼只会出现在纬度较低的地区。”

Meanwhile Top had returned at his master’s call, and had regained the shore: —
与此同时，大狗回到了主人的召唤处，重新回到了岸边。 —

but he could not stay quiet; he plunged in among the tall grass, and guided by instinct, he appeared to follow some invisible being which was slipping along under the surface of the water. —
但它无法保持安静；它跃入高大的草丛中，凭着直觉，仿佛在追随一些在水面下滑行的无形生物。 —

However the water was calm; not a ripple disturbed its surface. —
不过水面平静无波，毫无涟漪。 —

Several times the settlers stopped on the bank, and observed it attentively. —
几次，拓荒者们在岸边停下来，专心观察着水面。 —

Nothing appeared. There was some mystery there.
什么都没发现。那里似乎隐藏着一些神秘之处。

The engineer was puzzled.
工程师感到困惑。

“Let us pursue this exploration to the end,” said he.
“让我们将这次探查进行到底，”他说。

Half an hour after they had all arrived at the southeast angle of the lake, on Prospect Heights. —
半小时后，他们都来到了湖的东南角，达到了展望高地。 —

At this point the examination of the banks of the lake was considered finished, and yet the engineer had not been able to discover how and where the waters were discharged. —
此时，对湖岸的检查被认为已经结束，然而工程师却依然无法找出水是如何排放的。 —

“There is no doubt this overflow exists,” he repeated, and since it is not visible it must go through the granite cliff at the west!”
“毫无疑问，这里是有排放的，”他重申，“既然表面看不到，那么它一定是通过西边的花岗岩悬崖流出！”

“But what importance do you attach to knowing that, my dear Cyrus?” asked Gideon Spilett.
“但是你认为知道这个情况有什么重要性，亲爱的赛勒斯？”吉迪恩·斯派莱特问道。

“Considerable importance,” replied the engineer; —
“很重要”，工程师回答道； —

“for if it flows through the cliff there is probably some cavity, which it would be easy to render habitable after turning away the water.”
“因为如果它流经悬崖，那么很可能有一些空腔，我们可以将水引开后，轻易地让其适于居住。”

“But is it not possible, captain, that the water flows away at the bottom of the lake,” said Herbert, “and that it reaches the sea by some subterranean passage?”
“但上尉，难道水不可能在湖底流走吗？”赫伯特提议道，“然后通过一些地下通道达到海洋？”

“That might be,” replied the engineer, “and should it be so we shall be obliged to build our house ourselves, since nature has not done it for us.”
“可能是这样”，工程师回答道，“如果真是这样的话，我们就不得不亲自建造我们的房子，因为大自然没有为我们建造。”

The colonists were about to begin to traverse the plateau to return to the Chimneys, when Top gave new signs of agitation. —
当殖民者正准备穿过高地返回烟囱时，狗狗汤普表现出新的焦躁不安。 —

He barked with fury, and before his master could restrain him, he had plunged a second time into the lake.
它愤怒地吠叫着，在主人来得及制止它之前，它第二次跳进了湖中。

All ran towards the bank. The dog was already more than twenty feet off, and Cyrus was calling him back, when an enormous head emerged from the water, which did not appear to be deep in that place.
众人都朝着岸边跑去。狗已经离岸超过了二十英尺，赛勒斯呼唤它回来时，一个巨大的头从水中冒出来，在这个地方看起来并不深。

Herbert recognized directly the species of amphibian to which the tapering head, with large eyes, and adorned with long silky mustaches, belonged.
赫伯特立刻认出了这种两眼圆大、长着细长丝状胡须的头属于哺乳动物中的哪种类群。

“A lamantin!” he cried.
“海牛！”他大声喊道。

It was not a lamantin, but one of that species of the order of cetaceans, which bear the name of the “dugong,” for its nostrils were open at the upper part of its snout. —
并不是一只海牛，而是属于鲸鱼目中某种被称为“儒艮”的动物，因为它的鼻孔位于鼻梁的上部。 —

The enormous animal rushed on the dog, who tried to escape by returning towards the shore. —
这只巨大的动物向狗扑过去，狗试图通过向岸边逃避来躲避。 —

His master could do nothing to save him, and before Gideon Spilett or Herbert thought of bending their bows, Top, seized by the dugong, had disappeared beneath the water.
主人无能为力，吉迪恩·斯派莱特或赫伯特也未来得及拉满他们的弓，于是汤普被儒艮抓住后消失在水下。

Neb, his iron-tipped spear in his hand, wished to go to Top’s help, and attack the dangerous animal in its own element.
尼布手持铁尖的长矛，想要去救汤普，并在儒艮的领地中攻击那只危险的动物。

“No, Neb,” said the engineer, restraining his courageous servant.
“不，尼布，”工程师制止了他那个勇敢的仆人。

Meanwhile, a struggle was going on beneath the water, an inexplicable struggle, for in his situation Top could not possibly resist; —
与此同时，水下正在进行一场奇怪的斗争，对于处境如此的汤普来说，这是无法抵抗的； —

and judging by the bubbling of the surface it must be also a terrible struggle, and could not but terminate in the death of the dog! —
从水面的气泡来看，这必定是一场可怕的搏斗，势必以狗狗的死亡告终！ —

But suddenly, in the middle of a foaming circle, Top reappeared. —
但突然间，在一个泡沫环中，汤普重新出现。 —

Thrown in the air by some unknown power, he rose ten feet above the surface of the lake, fell again into the midst of the agitated waters, and then soon gained the shore, without any severe wounds, miraculously saved.
被某种未知的力量抛入空中，它上升了十英尺脱离湖面，再次坠入骚动的水中，然后很快安然获救，没有受到严重的伤口，奇迹般地得救了。

Cyrus Harding and his companions could not understand it. —
哈定和他的同伴们无法理解这一切。 —

What was not less inexplicable was that the struggle still appeared to be going on. —
更不可思议的是，这场斗争似乎还在继续。 —

Doubtless, the dugong, attacked by some powerful animal, after having released the dog, was fighting on its own account. —
毫无疑问，海牛，在释放了狗之后，正在为自己的生存而战。 —

But it did not last long. The water became red with blood, and the body of the dugong, emerging from the sheet of scarlet which spread around, soon stranded on a little beach at the south angle of the lake. —
但持续的时间不长。水染红了，而海牛的尸体从周围弥漫的鲜红中显露出来，很快搁浅在湖泊南角的一个小海滩上。 —

The colonists ran towards it. The dugong was dead. —
殖民者们跑向海牛。海牛已经死了。 —

It was an enormous animal, fifteen or sixteen feet long, and must have weighed from three to four thousand pounds. —
这是一头巨大的动物，十五六英尺长，重量可能在三到四千磅之间。 —

At its neck was a wound, which appeared to have been produced by a sharp blade.
它的颈部有一个伤口，看起来像是被尖利的刀片击中的。

What could the amphibious creature have been, who, by this terrible blow had destroyed the formidable dugong? —
那个两栖动物到底是谁，用这一重创摧毁了可怕的海牛？ —

No one could tell, and much interested in this incident, Harding and his companions returned to the Chimneys.
没人知道，哈定和他的同伴们对这一事件很感兴趣，于是回到了烟囱。