CHAPTER XII THE ROUT OF THE MAHIKI

 The location of the adventure with the shark-god Maka’u-kiu1 was at the mouth of Wai-pi’o valley, a region where Hawaii’s storm-coast forms an impassable rampart, save as it is cut by this and its twin valley, Wai-manu. These valleys take head in a wild forest region, the home of mist, rain and swamp. Adjoining this and part of the same watershed¹ is the region known as Mahiki-waena, a land which the convenience of traffic required should be open to travel. It was the haunt of a ferocious² horde³ of mo’o called mahiki2 from their power to leap and spring like grass-hoppers.

 

When Hiiaka proposed to pass through this region in the [50]ordinary course of travel, the head of the Mahiki insolently⁴ denied her the right of way, suggesting as an alternative the boisterous⁵ sea-route around the northern shoulder of Hawaii. Hiiaka’s blood was up. The victory over the hosts of Pana-ewa and the more recent destruction of Maka’u-kiu had fired her courage. She resolved once for all to make an end of this arrogant⁷ nuisance and to rid the island of the whole pestilential brood of imps⁸ and mo’o. Standing⁹ on a height that overlooked Wai-pi’o, she chanted a mele which is at once descriptive of the scene before her and at the same time expressive¹⁰ of her determination:

 

Mele Uhau

 

A luna au o Wai-pi’o,

Kilohi aku k’uu maka ilalo;

Hele ho’i ke ala makai o Maka’u-kiu;

Hele ho’i ke ala mauka o Ka-pu-o’a—

Pihapiha, he’e i ka welowelo,

I ka pu’u Kolea, i ka ino, e—

Ino Mahiki:

Ua ike ka ho’i au, he ino Mahiki,

He ino, he ino loa no, e!

TRANSLATION

 

As I journeyed above Wai-pi’o

Mine eyes drank in that valley—

The whole long march as far as from

The sea-fight at Maka’u-kiu

Till the trail climbs Ka-pu-o’a.

There soggy the road and glairy,

And there do flaunt¹¹ and flourish,

On Plover¹² Mount, the cursed Mahiki.

For I am convinced that that crew

Are bad, as bad as bad can be!

Hiiaka’s march to encounter the Mahiki was interrupted for a short time by an incident that only served to clinch¹³ her resolution. An agonizing¹⁴ cry of distress¹⁵ assailed¹⁶ her ear. It came from a dismantled¹⁷ heap of human flesh, the remains¹⁸ of two men who had been most brutally¹⁹ handled—by these same Mahiki, perhaps—their leg and arm-bones plucked out and they left [51]to welter in their misery²⁰. It was seemingly the cruel infliction²¹ of the Mahiki. The cry of the two wretches²² could not be disregarded:

 

E Hiiaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele, e,

E ki’i mai oe ia maua;

E ka hookuli i ka ualo, e!

Ka opu aloha ole, e-e!

TRANSLATION

 

O Hiiaka-of-Pele’s-heart,

Come thou and assist us.

Turn not a deaf ear to our cry!

Be not of hard and unfeeling heart!

Hiiaka, with a skill that did credit to her surgery, splinted the maimed limbs, inserting stems from her favorite ti plant to take the place of the long bones that had been removed. She left them seated in comfort at the roadside at Pololú.

 

The Mahiki, on seeing Hiiaka advance into their territory, threw up the dirt and dust in their front, to express their contempt for such an insignificant²³ body of trespassers. Hiiaka, paying no attention to their insolence²⁴, pressed on. Her purpose was to strike directly at Mo’o-lau, the leader of the horde, to whom she addressed this incantation:

 

A loko au o Mahiki,

Halawai me ke Akua okioki po’o.

Okioki ino, la, i kona po’o;

Kahihi a’e la i kona naau;

Hoale mai ana i kona koko i o’u nei.

E Lau e, Lau e-e!

No’u ke ala, i hele aku ho’i, e-e!

TRANSLATION

 

I enter the land of Mahiki;

I counter the head-hunting witch.

See me pluck the head from her body;

See me tear out her very heart, [52]

Till her blood surges round me in waves—

Blood of the monster that’s legion.

Mine is the common right of way:

The traveler’s right to the road!

At dark Hiiaka camped in the road and during the night a female ku-pua named Lau-mihi, whom the Mahiki chief had sent as a spy to watch Hiiaka, was seen standing on a high place to one side of them. Hiiaka at once flew at her and put an end to her.

 

Now began a fierce battle between Hiiaka and the Mahiki dragon and his forces. They fought till both sides were exhausted²⁵ and then, as if by mutual²⁶ consent, stopped to rest.

 

Hiiaka perceived that the battle was to be even more fiercely contested than that at Pana-ewa. She bade Paú-o-pala’e to take good care that no ill came to Wahine-oma’o. Looking up into the heavens, Hiiaka saw her relatives and friends Poha-kau, Ka-moho-alii, Kane-milo-hai, and a large concourse of other gods, including Kane, Kanaloa, Ku and Lono, watching her, evidently greatly interested in her performances. They assured her of their protection. At this Hiiaka was much encouraged and gave utterance²⁷ to her feelings in this kanaenae:

 

A Moolau, i ka pua o ka uhiuhi,

Helele’i mai ana ka pua o Ko’o-ko’o-lau.

Lohi’a e na mo’o liilii—

Na mo’o liilii ke ala

E kolo i ke kula,

E iho i kai o Kawaihae, la.

Hea a’e la ka mo’o liilii:

E hakaká kaua; paio olua auane’i.

He ’kau Mo’o-lau, o Mo’o-lau akua, e!

TRANSLATION

 

In the wilds of Mo’o-lau,

The uhiuhi’s time for bloom—

The petals²⁸ fall of Koolau’s flower:

The little dragons have found the way

By which they can crawl to the plain,

Go down to the sea at Kawaihae. [53]

The little demons²⁹ now announce

That you and I shall battle wage:

We two, indeed, must fight, they say—

A god is Mo’o-lau, a host of gods!

At this the great dragon Mo’o-lau bestirred himself. His attack was direct, but he divided his host into two columns so as to envelope Hiiaka and attack her on each flank. Hiiaka saw them approaching through the jungle and chanted the following rallying song:

 

Mele Ho’-uluulu

 

A Mo’o-lau, i ka pua o ka uhiuhi,

Pala luhi ehu iho la

Ka pua o ke kauno’a i ka la;

Na hale ohai i Kekaha, o Wa’a-kiu;—

E kiu, e kiu ia auane’i kou ahiahi;

E maka’i ia olua auane’i.

He akua Mo’o-lau, o Mo’o-lau akua, e!

TRANSLATION

 

In the jungle of Mo’o-lau,

The uhi-uhi’s season of bloom;

The flower of the rootless kau-no’a

Is wilted³⁰ and bent³¹ in the sun;

My bower³² in Kekaha’s invaded:

Some creature is playing the spy.

I, in turn,—be warned—will spy out

Your quiet and rest of an evening:

This to you, you, god Mo’o-lau!

Pele, perceiving that the crisis of the conflict had now come, called upon all the male and female relatives of Hiiaka (hoaiku) to go to her assistance; “Go and help your sister Hiiaka. There she is fighting desperately³³ with Mo’o-lau—fighting and resting, fighting and resting, well nigh exhausted. Go and help her; all of you go. It’s a fight against Mo’o-lau.”

 

When the battalion³⁴ of gods moved against the mo’o, it was a rout⁶ and a slaughter³⁵. Then the cry arose: “No fight has been made against the Mahiki dragon; he yet survives.” Thereupon [54]they turned their attack against that old dragon and his guards. Hiiaka then celebrated³⁶ the double victory in this paean³⁷:

 

Kaiko’o Pu’u-moe-awa, wawá ka laau;

Nei o Pu’u-owai ma, e:

Nahá ka welowelo; he’e na’e ho’i, e!

E Pu’u-owai ma, e, ke holo la!

E Miki-aloalo, e, nawai ka make?

Ke i-o nei, e!

TRANSLATION

 

A roar as of surf on the hill Moe-awa:

The tumult³⁸ resounds³⁹ through the forest:

Pu’u-owai and his band lead the rout,

Your battallions are torn into tatters—

You are running, Captain Owai!

And you, Captain Spry, whose the defeat?

The answer is made by the shouting!

Hiiaka’s chief weapon of attack seems to have been her magical paú. With this as a besom she beat them down as a husbandman might beat down a swarm⁴⁰ of locusts⁴¹. The Mahiki and the Mo’o-lau had ceased to exist as organized bodies. But from the rout and slaughter of the armies many individuals had escaped with their lives, and these had hid themselves away in caves and secret places, some of them even, presuming apparently⁴² upon their power of disguise, had taken refuge in the remote scattered⁴³ habitations of the people. Such an inference seems to be justified⁴⁴ by the language of the mele now to be given:

 

Note.—The gods that came to the assistance of Hiiaka such times as circumstances pinched her and whose spiritual power at all times re?nforced her feeble humanity were limited in their dominion⁴⁵ to certain vaguely⁴⁶ defined provinces and departments. Thus, if there was any sea-fighting to be done, it fell to the shark-god, the Admiral Ka-moho-alii, to take charge of it. On the other hand, the conduct of a battle on terra firma would be under the generalship of Kane-milo-hai; while to Kana-loa belonged the marshalling of the celestial⁴⁷ hosts, the moon and the stars. But the orb⁴⁸ of day, the Sun, belonged to Lono. Hence, if the fighting was during the hours of daylight, Lono would logically assume the command. The rule of the great god Ku was also exercised principally by day. It was he who arranged the calendar and settled the order of the seasons, the days and the nights. The subdivisions and departmental complications under these general divisions were numerous. [55]

 

Lilo i Puna, lilo i Puna,

Lilo i Puna, i ke au a ka hewahewa;

Popo’i aku ka i na hale:

Ua piha na hale i ke ’kua—

O Kini Akua o Wai-mea,

O ka Lehu Akua o Maná.

Kini wale Wai-mea

I ka pihe o ke ’kua o Uli, e.

Po wale Mahiki;

A ia Mahiki ke uwá la no, e!

TRANSLATION

 

Scattered through Puna, scattered through Puna,

Is the rout of the vagrant⁴⁹ imps:

They swarm in the dwellings⁵⁰ of men;

The houses are lousy with demons—

Wai-mea’s myriads⁵¹ of godlings,

Thy four hundred thousand, Maná.

Wai-mea thrills with the snarl⁵² of witch-gods:

Night’s shadows brood over Mahiki;

The uproar⁵³ keeps on in Mahiki.

1Maka’u-kiu, afeared-o-a-spy. ↑

 

2Ma-hi-ki (mahiti, mawhiti), to leap, to skip, to spring up suddenly. The Maori Comp. Dict. E. Tregear. 

1 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

2 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

3 horde   

n.群众，一大群

参考例句：

• A horde of children ran over the office building.一大群孩子在办公大楼里到处奔跑。
• Two women were quarrelling on the street,surrounded by horde of people.有两个妇人在街上争吵，被一大群人围住了。

4 insolently   

adv.自豪地，自傲地

参考例句：

• No does not respect, speak insolently,satire, etc for TT management team member. 不得发表对TT管理层人员不尊重、出言不逊、讽刺等等的帖子。 来自互联网
• He had replied insolently to his superiors. 他傲慢地回答了他上司的问题。 来自互联网

5 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。

6 rout   

n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮

参考例句：

• The enemy was put to rout all along the line.敌人已全线崩溃。
• The people's army put all to rout wherever they went.人民军队所向披靡。

7 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

8 imps   

n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童

参考例句：

• Those imps are brewing mischief. 那些小淘气们正在打坏主意。 来自辞典例句
• No marvel if the imps follow when the devil goes before. 魔鬼带头，难怪小鬼纷纷跟随。 来自互联网

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 expressive   

adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的

参考例句：

• Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
• He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

11 flaunt   

vt.夸耀，夸饰

参考例句：

• His behavior was an outrageous flaunt.他的行为是一种无耻的炫耀。
• Why would you flaunt that on a public forum?为什么你们会在公共论坛大肆炫耀？

12 plover   

n.珩，珩科鸟，千鸟

参考例句：

• He wondered if the plover was the fastest bird.他想知道千鸟是不是最快的鸟。
• American plover of inland waters and fields having a distinctive cry.美洲内陆水域和牧场的鸻，叫声特别。

13 clinch   

v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench

参考例句：

• Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
• We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。

14 agonizing   

adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式)

参考例句：

• I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not. 我用了好些天苦苦思考是否接受这个工作。
• his father's agonizing death 他父亲极度痛苦的死

15 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

16 assailed   

v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对

参考例句：

• He was assailed with fierce blows to the head. 他的头遭到猛烈殴打。
• He has been assailed by bad breaks all these years. 这些年来他接二连三地倒霉。 来自《用法词典》

17 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

18 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

19 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

20 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

21 infliction   

n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚

参考例句：

• Don't immerse yourself in the infliction too long.不要长时间沉浸在痛苦经历中。
• Instead of rivets there came an invasion,an infliction,and a visitation.但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。

22 wretches   

n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋

参考例句：

• The little wretches were all bedraggledfrom some roguery. 小淘气们由于恶作剧而弄得脏乎乎的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The best courage for us poor wretches is to fly from danger. 对我们这些可怜虫说来，最好的出路还是躲避危险。 来自辞典例句

23 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

24 insolence   

n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度

参考例句：

• I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱，不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

26 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

27 utterance   

n.用言语表达，话语，言语

参考例句：

• This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
• My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽，泣不成声。

28 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

29 demons   

n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念

参考例句：

• demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
• He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰，那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 wilted   

（使）凋谢，枯萎( wilt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The flowers wilted in the hot sun. 花在烈日下枯萎了。
• The romance blossomed for six or seven months, and then wilted. 那罗曼史持续六七个月之后就告吹了。

31 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

32 bower   

n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽

参考例句：

• They sat under the leafy bower at the end of the garden and watched the sun set.他们坐在花园尽头由叶子搭成的凉棚下观看落日。
• Mrs. Quilp was pining in her bower.奎尔普太太正在她的闺房里度着愁苦的岁月。

33 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

34 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

35 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

36 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

37 paean   

n.赞美歌，欢乐歌

参考例句：

• She struck up the first paean on the grand piano.她开始在那架大钢琴上演奏起第一首颂歌。
• The novel is a paean to the end of empire.该小说奏响了一个帝国落寞的赞歌。

38 tumult   

n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹

参考例句：

• The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。
• His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。

39 resounds   

v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的第三人称单数 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音

参考例句：

• When the Christmas musical box, music resounds, Christmas old man swinging. 圣诞音乐盒，音乐响起时，圣诞老人会摆动。 来自互联网
• In the epilogue, the Silk Road resounds with the song of friendship. 尾声：丝绸之路上洋溢着友谊之歌。 来自互联网

40 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

41 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

43 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

44 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

45 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

46 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

47 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

48 orb   

n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形

参考例句：

• The blue heaven,holding its one golden orb,poured down a crystal wash of warm light.蓝蓝的天空托着金色的太阳，洒下一片水晶般明亮温暖的光辉。
• It is an emanation from the distant orb of immortal light.它是从远处那个发出不灭之光的天体上放射出来的。

49 vagrant   

n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的

参考例句：

• A vagrant is everywhere at home.流浪者四海为家。
• He lived on the street as a vagrant.他以在大街上乞讨为生。

50 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

51 myriads   

n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each galaxy contains myriads of stars. 每一星系都有无数的恒星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sky was set with myriads of stars. 无数星星点缀着夜空。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

52 snarl   

v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮

参考例句：

• At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
• The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。

53 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。