The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds, thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited, was soon made out. —
这些被投放到一个看似无人居住的海岸的云朵流浪者所拥有的物品清单很快就列出来了。 —

They had nothing, save the clothes which they were wearing at the time of the catastrophe. —
除了灾难发生时身上穿着的衣服，他们一无所有。 —

We must mention, however, a note-book and a watch which Gideon Spilett had kept, doubtless by inadvertence, not a weapon, not a tool, not even a pocket-knife; —
不过必须提及的是吉迪恩·斯派莱特无意中保留下来的笔记本和手表，并没有武器、工具，甚至没有小刀； —

for while in the car they had thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. —
因为在飞行舱里，他们为了减轻热气球的重量把一切都扔掉了。 —

The imaginary heroes of Daniel Defoe or of Wyss, as well as Selkirk and Raynal shipwrecked on Juan Fernandez and on the archipelago of the Aucklands, were never in such absolute destitution. —
丹尼尔·笛福或维斯，以及塞尔科克和雷纳尔在胡安·费尔南德斯或奥克兰群岛上的虚构英雄，从来没有处于如此绝对的赤贫之中。 —

Either they had abundant resources from their stranded vessels, in grain, cattle, tools, ammunition, or else some things were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all the first necessities of life. —
要么他们从搁浅的船只中得到了丰富的资源，像粮食、牲畜、工具、弹药，要么海岸上冲上来的东西供给了他们的全部生活必需品。 —

But here, not any instrument whatever, not a utensil. —
但这里，任何工具都没有，任何器物都没有。 —

From nothing they must supply themselves with everything.
他们必须自己提供一切。

And yet, if Cyrus Harding had been with them, if the engineer could have brought his practical science, his inventive mind to bear on their situation, perhaps all hope would not have been lost. —
然而，如果赛勒斯·哈丁和他们在一起，如果工程师可以把他的实际科学、富有创造力的头脑用于他们的处境，也许希望不会完全破灭。 —

Alas! they must hope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding. —
唉！他们再也不可能看到赛勒斯·哈丁了。 —

The castaways could expect nothing but from themselves and from that Providence which never abandons those whose faith is sincere.
这些漂泊的人只能寄望于他们自己以及那永不抛弃信念坚定者的上帝。

But ought they to establish themselves on this part of the coast, without trying to know to what continent it belonged, if it was inhabited, or if they were on the shore of a desert island?
但他们是否应该在这片海岸上建立起自己，而不去试图知道这片陆地属于哪个大陆，它是否有居民，或者他们是否在一座荒岛上？

It was an important question, and should be solved with the shortest possible delay. —
这是一个重要的问题，应该尽快解决。 —

From its answer they would know what measures to take. —
他们将根据答案来决定采取什么措施。 —

However, according to Pencroft’s advice, it appeared best to wait a few days before commencing an exploration. —
但根据潘克罗夫的建议，最好在开始勘探之前等待几天。 —

They must, in fact, prepare some provisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs. —
实际上，他们必须准备一些食物，并获取比鸡蛋和软体动物更有营养的食物。 —

The explorers, before undertaking new fatigues, must first of all recruit their strength.
在进行新的劳累之前，探险家们必须首先恢复体力。

The Chimneys offered a retreat sufficient for the present. —
烟囱为眼下的隐居提供了条件。 —

The fire was lighted, and it was easy to preserve some embers. —
火已经点燃，保持一些余烬很容易。 —

There were plenty of shell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. —
在岩石和海滩上有大量的贝类和鸟蛋。 —

It would be easy to kill a few of the pigeons which were flying by hundreds about the summit of the plateau, either with sticks or stones. —
可以很容易地用棍子或石头打死飞过高原顶峰上空数百只的鸽子之一。 —

Perhaps the trees of the neighboring forest would supply them with eatable fruit. —
也许附近森林的树木会供应可食用的水果。 —

Lastly, the sweet water was there.
最后，那里有甜水可饮。

It was accordingly settled that for a few days they would remain at the Chimneys so as to prepare themselves for an expedition, either along the shore or into the interior of the country. —
因此，他们决定呆在烟囱几天，为沿海或进入内陆进行远征做好准备。 —

This plan suited Neb particularly. As obstinate in his ideas as in his presentiments, he was in no haste to abandon this part of the coast, the scene of the catastrophe. —
这个计划特别适合奈布。执着于他的想法和预感，他并不急于放弃这段海岸，这是事件发生的地方。 —

He did not, he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding. —
他没有，也不相信赛勒斯·哈丁已经丧生。 —

No, it did not seem to him possible that such a man had ended in this vulgar fashion, carried away by a wave, drowned in the floods, a few hundred feet from a shore. —
不，他不认为这样一个人以这种平凡的方式结束了，被浪潮冲走，溺于洪水之中，离岸只有数百英尺。 —

As long as the waves had not cast up the body of the engineer, as long as he, Neb, had not seen with his eyes, touched with his hands the corpse of his master, he would not believe in his death! —
只要海浪没有将工程师的尸体冲上岸，只要他，奈布，没有亲眼看见，亲手触摸他主人的尸体，他就不会相信他已经去世！ —

And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart. —
这个想法牢牢地扎根在他坚定的内心深处。 —

An illusion perhaps, but still an illusion to be respected, and one which the sailor did not wish to destroy. —
或许是一种错觉，但仍然是一种值得尊重的错觉，也是这位海员不愿摧毁的错觉。 —

As for him, he hoped no longer, but there was no use in arguing with Neb. He was like the dog who will not leave the place where his master is buried, and his grief was such that most probably he would not survive him.
至于他，他不再抱希望了，但是和尼布争论是没有意义的。他就像是那只不肯离开主人埋葬的地方的狗，他的悲伤如此之深，很可能他无法熬过主人的离去。

This same morning, the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb had set out on the shore in a northerly direction, and he had returned to the spot where the sea, no doubt, had closed over the unfortunate Harding.
同一天清晨，3月26日，尼布朝着北面上了岸，然后回到了海水恐怕已经盖过不幸的哈丁的地方。

That day’s breakfast was composed solely of pigeon’s eggs and lithodomes. —
那天的早餐只有鸽子蛋和蛏子。 —

Herbert had found some salt deposited by evaporation in the hollows of the rocks, and this mineral was very welcome.
赫伯特在岩石的凹处找到了一些蒸发沉积的盐，这种矿物是非常受欢迎的。

The repast ended, Pencroft asked the reporter if he wished to accompany Herbert and himself to the forest, where they were going to try to hunt. —
饭后，潘克罗夫问记者是否愿意和赫伯特一起去森林，他们打算去狩猎。 —

But on consideration, it was thought necessary that someone should remain to keep in the fire, and to be at hand in the highly improbable event of Neb requiring aid. —
但经过考虑，有人认为有必要留下一个人守着火，以及在尼布需要援助的极不可能发生的情况下随时待命。 —

The reporter accordingly remained behind.
因此，记者留了下来。

“To the chase, Herbert,” said the sailor. —
“出发去狩猎，赫伯特，”水手说。 —

“We shall find ammunition on our way, and cut our weapons in the forest.” —
“我们会在路上找到弹药，并在森林里准备好我们的武器。” —

But at the moment of starting, Herbert observed, that since they had no tinder, it would perhaps be prudent to replace it by another substance.
但就在出发的那一刻，赫伯特注意到，由于他们没有火种，也许用另一种物质来代替比较明智。

“What?” asked Pencroft.
“什么？”潘克罗夫问。

“Burnt linen,” replied the boy. “That could in case of need serve for tinder.”
“烧过的亚麻布，”男孩回答说。“在必要的情况下可以用作火种。”

The sailor thought it very sensible advice. —
水手认为这是非常明智的建议。 —

Only it had the inconvenience of necessitating the sacrifice of a piece of handkerchief. —
尽管如此，这种方法不方便需要牺牲一块手帕。 —

Notwithstanding, the thing was well worth while trying, and a part of Pencroft’s large checked handkerchief was soon reduced to the state of a half-burnt rag. —
不过，这个方法是值得一试的，于是潘克罗夫的大格子手帕的一部分很快就变成了半烧焦的破布。 —

This inflammable material was placed in the central chamber at the bottom of a little cavity in the rock, sheltered from all wind and damp.
这种易燃物放在岩石的一个小凹处的中央室内，远离风和潮气。

It was nine o’clock in the morning. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. —
当地方是早上九点。天气看起来不太好，微风从东南吹来。 —

Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle of the Chimneys, not without having cast a look at the smoke which, just at that place, curled round a point of rock: —
赫伯特和彭克罗夫转过了烟囱的角，不免瞥了一眼从岩石一点处卷起的烟雾。 —

they ascended the left bank of the river.
他们沿着河流的左岸前进。

Arrived at the forest, Pencroft broke from the first tree two stout branches which he transformed into clubs, the ends of which Herbert rubbed smooth on a rock. —
到达森林后，彭克罗夫从第一棵树上折下两根粗壮的树枝，把它们改造成棍棒，赫伯特用石头把棍棒的末端磨光。 —

Oh! what would they not have given for a knife!
啊！他们为了一把小刀愿意付出什么代价！

The two hunters now advanced among the long grass, following the bank. —
两名猎人现在穿过长草，沿着河岸前进。 —

From the turning which directed its course to the southwest, the river narrowed gradually and the channel lay between high banks, over which the trees formed a double arch. —
从朝西南转向的地方，河流逐渐变窄，河槽位于高耸的岸边之间，树木形成了双重拱门。 —

Pencroft, lest they should lose themselves, resolved to follow the course of the stream, which would always lead them back to the point from which they started. —
为了不迷失方向，彭克罗夫决定沿着河流前行，这样就可以始终回到出发点。 —

But the bank was not without some obstacles: —
但是岸边并不没有障碍物： —

here, the flexible branches of the trees bent level with the current; —
这里，树木灵活的树枝与水流平行； —

there, creepers and thorns which they had to break down with their sticks. —
那里，爬藤和荆棘让他们不得不用棍棒打断。 —

Herbert often glided among the broken stumps with the agility of a young cat, and disappeared in the underwood. —
赫伯特经常像小猫一样灵活地在砍伐的树桩之间转动，消失在灌木丛中。 —

But Pencroft called him back directly, begging him not to wander away. —
但彭克罗夫立刻叫他回来，请求他不要走远。 —

Meanwhile, the sailor attentively observed the disposition and nature of the surrounding country. —
与此同时，水手仔细观察周围环境的构造和性质。 —

On the left bank, the ground, which was flat and marshy, rose imperceptibly towards the interior. —
在左岸，平坦而多沼泽地的地面在朝内陆方向逐渐上升，几乎察觉不到。 —

It looked there like a network of liquid threads which doubtless reached the river by some underground drain. —
那里看起来像一团液体丝网，无疑是通过某个地下排水渠到达河边的。 —

Sometimes a stream ran through the underwood, which they crossed without difficulty. —
有时，一条小溪流过灌木丛，在他们毫无困难地穿越过去。 —

The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven, and the valley of which the river occupied the bottom was more clearly visible. —
对岸的岸边看起来更加崎岖，河流占据了底部的山谷更加清晰可见。 —

The hill, covered with trees disposed in terraces, intercepted the view. —
那座山，布满树木，呈阶梯状分布，遮挡了视线。 —

On the right bank walking would have been difficult, for the declivities fell suddenly, and the trees bending over the water were only sustained by the strength of their roots.
右岸地面崎岖，行走会很困难，因为坡度陡峭，靠在水上的树木仅靠根系的强度支撑。

It is needless to add that this forest, as well as the coast already surveyed, was destitute of any sign of human life. —
值得一提的是，这片森林和已经检查过的海岸一样，没有任何人类生活的迹象。 —

Pencroft only saw traces of quadrupeds, fresh footprints of animals, of which he could not recognize the species. —
潘克罗夫只看见兽类的踪迹，有动物的新鲜足印，但他无法识别物种。 —

In all probability, and such was also Herbert’s opinion, some had been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtless would give them some trouble; —
很有可能，赫伯特也同样认为，其中一些踪迹是被可怕的野兽留下的，这些野兽无疑会给他们制造一些麻烦； —

but nowhere did they observe the mark of an axe on the trees, nor the ashes of a fire, nor the impression of a human foot. —
但他们在树木上没有观察到斧痕，也没有火灭的灰烬，更没有人类脚印的印记。 —

On this they might probably congratulate themselves, for on any land in the middle of the Pacific the presence of man was perhaps more to be feared than desired. —
在此，他们可能应感到庆幸，因为在太平洋中央的任何一块陆地上，人类的存在也许更值得畏惧而非期待。 —

Herbert and Pencroft speaking little, for the difficulties of the way were great, advanced very slowly, and after walking for an hour they had scarcely gone more than a mile. —
由于道路的困难，赫伯特和潘克罗夫说话很少，走得很慢，走了一个小时后，他们几乎还不到一英里的距离。 —

As yet the hunt had not been successful. —
到目前为止，狩猎尚未成功。 —

However, some birds sang and fluttered in the foliage, and appeared very timid, as if man had inspired them with an instinctive fear. —
然而，一些鸟在树叶中歌唱飞舞，看起来非常胆怯，仿佛人类给了它们一种本能的恐惧。 —

Among others, Herbert described, in a marshy part of the forest, a bird with a long pointed beak, closely resembling the king-fisher, but its plumage was not fine, though of a metallic brilliancy.
赫伯特描述，在森林的沼泽地区，有一种长长的尖嘴鸟，与翠鸟极其相似，但其羽毛不精致，却闪烁着金属的光泽。

“That must be a jacamar,” said Herbert, trying to get nearer.
“那一定是一只栗喉蜂虎，”赫伯特说着，试图靠近。

“This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar,” replied the sailor, “if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!”
“这将是一个很好的机会品尝栗喉蜂虎，”水手回答道，“如果那家伙愿意被烤的话！”

Just then, a stone cleverly thrown by the boy, struck the creature on the wing, but the blow did not disable it, and the jacamar ran off and disappeared in an instant.
就在这时，一个熟练扔出的石头击中了这只动物的翅膀，但这一击并没有让它残废，栗喉蜂虎跑开了，片刻就消失了。

“How clumsy I am!” cried Herbert.
“我真笨！”赫伯特喊道。

“No, no, my boy!” replied the sailor. “The blow was well aimed; —
“不，不，我的孩子！”水手回答道。“这一击打得很准； —

many a one would have missed it altogether! —
很多人可能完全没法打中它！ —

Come, don’t be vexed with yourself. We shall catch it another day!”
来吧，不要生自己的气。我们以后会捉到它的！”

As the hunters advanced, the trees were found to be more scattered, many being magnificent, but none bore eatable fruit. —
当猎人们继续前进时，树木变得更加稀疏，虽然其中有很多是宏伟的，但没有一棵结出可食用的果实。 —

Pencroft searched in vain for some of those precious palm-trees which are employed in so many ways in domestic life, and which have been found as far as the fortieth parallel in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the thirty-fifth only in the Southern Hemisphere. —
彭克罗夫徒劳地寻找一些在家庭生活中用途广泛的珍贵棕榈树，这些树在北半球已发现直到40纬度线，而在南半球仅发现到35纬度线。 —

But this forest was only composed of coniferae, such as deodaras, already recognized by Herbert, and Douglas pine, similar to those which grow on the northwest coast of America, and splendid firs, measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height.
但这片森林只由针叶树组成，如已被赫伯特认出的雪松和道格拉斯松，类似于在美洲西北海岸生长的那种辉煌的冷杉，高度可达150英尺。

At this moment a flock of birds, of a small size and pretty plumage, with long glancing tails, dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers, which covered the ground as with fine down. —
就在这时，一群体积小、羽毛华丽、尾巴长而闪闪发光的鸟儿分散开来，飞到树枝上，洒下羽毛，把地面铺得像细腻的绒毛一样。 —

Herbert picked up a few of these feathers, and after having examined them,–
赫伯特捡起几根这些羽毛，检查了一下，

“These are couroucous,” said he.
“这些是凯路库鸟，”他说。

“I should prefer a moor-cock or guinea-fowl,” replied Pencroft, “still, if they are good to eat–”
“我更喜欢山鸡或珍珠鸡，”彭克罗夫回答道，“但如果它们好吃的话–”

“They are good to eat, and also their flesh is very delicate,” replied Herbert. —
“它们好吃，而且它们的肉也非常细嫩，”赫伯特回答道。 —

“Besides, if I don’t mistake, it is easy to approach and kill them with a stick.”
此外，如果我没有看错，用棍子接近并杀死它们是很容易的。

The sailor and the lad, creeping among the grass, arrived at the foot of a tree, whose lower branches were covered with little birds. —
水手和小伙子躲在草丛中，来到一棵树下，树下的低枝上挂满了小鸟。 —

The couroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment. —
冠雉正在等待昆虫的经过，这些昆虫是它们的食物。 —

Their feathery feet could be seen clasping the slender twigs which supported them.
它们有羽毛的脚可以看到抓紧支撑它们的细小树枝。

The hunters then rose, and using their sticks like scythes, they mowed down whole rows of these couroucous, who never thought of flying away, and stupidly allowed themselves to be knocked off. —
然后猎人们站起来，用棍子像镰刀一样，割倒了整排冠雉，那些鸟并没有想到飞走，愚蠢地让自己被打倒。 —

A hundred were already heaped on the ground, before the others made up their minds to fly.
其他鸟才决定飞走之前，已经有一百只堆在地上了。

“Well,” said Pencroft, “here is game, which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. —
“嗯，”潘克洛夫说，“这里有我们这样的猎人可以方便获得的猎物。 —

We have only to put out our hands and take it!”
我们只需要伸出手拿就行了！”

The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs, they then continued their exploration. —
水手把冠雉像云雀一样串在柔软树枝上，然后他们继续他们的探索。 —

The stream here made a bend towards the south, but this detour was probably not prolonged for the river must have its source in the mountain, and be supplied by the melting of the snow which covered the sides of the central cone.
这条小溪在这里向南转弯，但这个绕道可能不会延长，因为这条河必须起源于山脉，而且必须从覆盖中央火山锥体的雪融化补给。

The particular object of their expedition was, as has been said, to procure the greatest possible quantity of game for the inhabitants of the Chimneys. —
他们此次探险的特别目的，就像前面说的，是为烟囱里的居民获得尽可能多的猎物。 —

It must be acknowledged that as yet this object had not been attained. —
必须承认，至今还没有实现这个目标。 —

So the sailor actively pursued his researches, though he exclaimed, when some animal which he had not even time to recognize fled into the long grass, “If only we had had the dog Top!” —
所以水手积极地进行他的研究，虽然当一些甚至来不及认出的动物逃进高草时，他会喊道：“要是我们有Top这只狗就好了！” —

But Top had disappeared at the same time as his master, and had probably perished with him.
但Top与他的主人同时消失了，很可能和他一起丧生。

Towards three o’clock new flocks of birds were seen through certain trees, at whose aromatic berries they were pecking, those of the juniper- tree among others. —
大约三点钟时，通过一些树木，可以看到新的鸟群，它们正在啄食一些香味浓郁的浆果，其中包括刺柏树的浆果。 —

Suddenly a loud trumpet call resounded through the forest. —
突然，一声响亮的号角声在森林中回响。 —

This strange and sonorous cry was produced by a game bird called grouse in the United States. —
这种奇怪而悦耳的叫声是由美国的一种叫做松鸡的鸟类发出的。 —

They soon saw several couples, whose plumage was rich chestnut-brown mottled with dark brown, and tail of the same color. —
他们很快看到了几对松鸡，它们的羽毛是丰富的栗褐色，带有深褐色斑点，尾巴也是同样的颜色。 —

Herbert recognized the males by the two wing-like appendages raised on the neck. —
赫伯特通过颈部竖起的两个类似翼的附件认出了雄鸟。 —

Pencroft determined to get hold of at least one of these gallinaceae, which were as large as a fowl, and whose flesh is better than that of a pullet. —
彭克罗夫决定至少要捕获一只这些大小如鸡的松鸡，其肉比小母鸡还要美味。 —

But it was difficult, for they would not allow themselves to be approached. —
但这很困难，因为它们不允许靠近。 —

After several fruitless attempts, which resulted in nothing but scaring the grouse, the sailor said to the lad,–
在几次毫无结果，只吓跑了松鸡的尝试之后，水手对少年说道，–

“Decidedly, since we can’t kill them on the wing, we must try to take them with a line.”
“果然，由于我们无法在飞行中杀死它们，我们必须试着用一根线来捕捉它们。”

“Like a fish?” cried Herbert, much surprised at the proposal.
“像捕鱼一样吗？”赫伯特惊讶地问道。

“Like a fish,” replied the sailor quite seriously. —
“就像捕鱼一样，”水手很认真地回答道。 —

Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests, each having three or four eggs. —
彭克罗夫在草丛中找到了半打松鸡巢，每个巢中都有三四颗蛋。 —

He took great care not to touch these nests, to which their proprietors would not fail to return. —
他小心翼翼地不去碰这些巢，它们的主人肯定会回来。 —

It was around these that he meant to stretch his lines, not snares, but real fishing-lines. —
就是围绕这些巢，他打算拉直他的线，不是陷阱，而是真正的渔线。 —

He took Herbert to some distance from the nests, and there prepared his singular apparatus with all the care which a disciple of Izaak Walton would have used. —
他把赫伯特带到离巢稍远的地方，并在那里用一个钦佩伊萨克·沃尔顿的学徒所会用的一切细心准备了他独特的装备。 —

Herbert watched the work with great interest, though rather doubting its success. —
赫伯特虽然怀疑其成功，但却非常感兴趣地看着这项工作。 —

The lines were made of fine creepers, fastened one to the other, of the length of fifteen or twenty feet. —
这些线是由细小的藤蔓制成的，彼此相连，长度为十五到二十英尺。 —

Thick, strong thorns, the points bent back (which were supplied from a dwarf acacia bush) were fastened to the ends of the creepers, by way of hooks. —
粗壮的刺，尖端向后弯曲（这些刺是从一棵矮生的金合欢灌木上获得的），被固定在藤蔓的末端，作为钩子。 —

Large red worms, which were crawling on the ground, furnished bait.
爬在地上的大红蠕虫提供了鱼饵。

This done, Pencroft, passing among the grass and concealing himself skillfully, placed the end of his lines armed with hooks near the grouse nests; —
做好这些准备后，彭克罗夫穿过草丛，巧妙地隐藏自己，将带着钩子的线的末端放在松鸡巢附近； —

then he returned, took the other ends and hid with Herbert behind a large tree. —
然后他回来，拿起另一端，和赫伯特一起躲在一棵大树后面。 —

There they both waited patiently; though, it must be said, that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft.
他们耐心等待；虽然必须说，赫伯特并不很看好富有创造力的彭克罗夫的成功。

A whole half-hour passed, but then, as the sailor had surmised, several couple of grouse returned to their nests. —
整整半个小时过去了，但正如水手所料，几对松鸡回到它们的巢里。 —

They walked along, pecking the ground, and not suspecting in any way the presence of the hunters, who, besides, had taken care to place themselves to leeward of the gallinaceae.
它们走着，在地上啄食，并丝毫没有察觉到猎人的存在，而猎人们还特意选择了站在松鸡的背风处。

The lad felt at this moment highly interested. —
这时，男孩感到非常感兴趣。 —

He held his breath, and Pencroft, his eyes staring, his mouth open, his lips advanced, as if about to taste a piece of grouse, scarcely breathed.
他屏住呼吸，而彭克罗夫的眼睛瞪大，嘴巴张开，嘴唇伸出，仿佛要尝一块松鸡肉，几乎没有呼吸。

Meanwhile, the birds walked about the hooks, without taking any notice of them. —
与此同时，这些鸟儿走过钩子，毫无察觉。 —

Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if the worms had been still alive.
彭克罗夫然后稍稍用力，让鱼饵移动，就好像蠕虫还活着一样。

The sailor undoubtedly felt much greater anxiety than does the fisherman, for he does not see his prey coming through the water. —
水手显然比渔夫更焦虑，因为他看不见他的猎物在水里游过来。 —

The jerks attracted the attention of the gallinaceae, and they attacked the hooks with their beaks. —
这种颠簸引起了松鸡的注意，它们用喙攻击钩子。 —

Three voracious grouse swallowed at the same moment bait and hook. —
三只贪婪的松鸡同时吞下鱼饵和钩子。 —

Suddenly with a smart jerk, Pencroft “struck” his line, and a flapping of wings showed that the birds were taken.
突然，彭克罗夫一抖智取，一阵翅膀拍打声表明鸟已被捉住。

“Hurrah!” he cried, rushing towards the game, of which he made himself master in an instant.
“万岁!“他大喊着，冲向猎物，转瞬间便将其掌控。

Herbert clapped his hands. It was the first time that he had ever seen birds taken with a line, but the sailor modestly confessed that it was not his first attempt, and that besides he could not claim the merit of invention.
赫伯特拍手叫好。这是他第一次见到用钓鱼线捉鸟，但水手谦逊地承认这并非他第一次尝试，而且他也不能称之为发明的功劳。

“And at any rate,” added he, “situated as we are, we must hope to hit upon many other contrivances.”
“不管怎样，”他补充道，“处境如此，我们必须希望能找到许多其他的发明。”

The grouse were fastened by their claws, and Pencroft, delighted at not having to appear before their companions with empty hands, and observing that the day had begun to decline, judged it best to return to their dwelling.
松鸡被它们的爪子缠住，彭克罗夫高兴地没有空手回到同伴面前，注意到天色已开始变暗，判断最好返回他们的住处。

The direction was indicated by the river, whose course they had only to follow, and, towards six o’clock, tired enough with their excursion, Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys.
沿着河流指示的方向，他们只需跟着河流的路线前行，到了大约六点，赫伯特和彭克罗夫已经疲惫不堪地抵达了烟囱。