We landed on the big island and went ashore4. We tried the water in the canteens, now, and found that the sun had spoiled it; it was so brackish5 that we could not drink it; so we poured it out and began a search for the spring—for thirst augments6 fast as soon as it is apparent that one has no means at hand of quenching7 it. The island was a long, moderately high hill of ashes—nothing but gray ashes and pumice-stone, in which we sunk to our knees at every step—and all around the top was a forbidding wall of scorched8 and blasted rocks. When we reached the top and got within the wall, we found simply a shallow, far-reaching basin, carpeted with ashes, and here and there a patch of fine sand. In places, picturesque9 jets of steam shot up out of crevices10, giving evidence that although this ancient crater11 had gone out of active business, there was still some fire left in its furnaces. Close to one of these jets of steam stood the only tree on the island—a small pine of most graceful12 shape and most faultless symmetry; its color was a brilliant green, for the steam drifted unceasingly through its branches and kept them always moist. It contrasted strangely enough, did this vigorous and beautiful outcast, with its dead and dismal13 surroundings. It was like a cheerful spirit in a mourning household.
We hunted for the spring everywhere, traversing the full length of the island (two or three miles), and crossing it twice—climbing ash-hills patiently, and then sliding down the other side in a sitting posture14, plowing15 up smothering16 volumes of gray dust. But we found nothing but solitude17, ashes and a heart-breaking silence. Finally we noticed that the wind had risen, and we forgot our thirst in a solicitude18 of greater importance; for, the lake being quiet, we had not taken pains about securing the boat. We hurried back to a point overlooking our landing place, and then—but mere19 words cannot describe our dismay—the boat was gone! The chances were that there was not another boat on the entire lake. The situation was not comfortable—in truth, to speak plainly, it was frightful20. We were prisoners on a desolate21 island, in aggravating22 proximity23 to friends who were for the present helpless to aid us; and what was still more uncomfortable was the reflection that we had neither food nor water. But presently we sighted the boat. It was drifting along, leisurely24, about fifty yards from shore, tossing in a foamy25 sea. It drifted, and continued to drift, but at the same safe distance from land, and we walked along abreast26 it and waited for fortune to favor us. At the end of an hour it approached a jutting27 cape28, and Higbie ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge29 and prepared for the assault. If we failed there, there was no hope for us. It was driving gradually shoreward all the time, now; but whether it was driving fast enough to make the connection or not was the momentous30 question. When it got within thirty steps of Higbie I was so excited that I fancied I could hear my own heart beat. When, a little later, it dragged slowly along and seemed about to go by, only one little yard out of reach, it seemed as if my heart stood still; and when it was exactly abreast him and began to widen away, and he still standing31 like a watching statue, I knew my heart did stop. But when he gave a great spring, the next instant, and lit fairly in the stern, I discharged a war-whoop that woke the solitudes32!
But it dulled my enthusiasm, presently, when he told me he had not been caring whether the boat came within jumping distance or not, so that it passed within eight or ten yards of him, for he had made up his mind to shut his eyes and mouth and swim that trifling33 distance. Imbecile that I was, I had not thought of that. It was only a long swim that could be fatal.
The sea was running high and the storm increasing. It was growing late, too—three or four in the afternoon. Whether to venture toward the mainland or not, was a question of some moment. But we were so distressed34 by thirst that we decide to try it, and so Higbie fell to work and I took the steering36-oar37. When we had pulled a mile, laboriously38, we were evidently in serious peril39, for the storm had greatly augmented40; the billows ran very high and were capped with foaming41 crests42, the heavens were hung with black, and the wind blew with great fury. We would have gone back, now, but we did not dare to turn the boat around, because as soon as she got in the trough of the sea she would upset, of course. Our only hope lay in keeping her head-on to the seas. It was hard work to do this, she plunged43 so, and so beat and belabored44 the billows with her rising and falling bows. Now and then one of Higbie’s oars45 would trip on the top of a wave, and the other one would snatch the boat half around in spite of my cumbersome46 steering apparatus47. We were drenched48 by the sprays constantly, and the boat occasionally shipped water. By and by, powerful as my comrade was, his great exertions49 began to tell on him, and he was anxious that I should change places with him till he could rest a little. But I told him this was impossible; for if the steering oar were dropped a moment while we changed, the boat would slue around into the trough of the sea, capsize, and in less than five minutes we would have a hundred gallons of soap- suds in us and be eaten up so quickly that we could not even be present at our own inquest.
But things cannot last always. Just as the darkness shut down we came booming into port, head on. Higbie dropped his oars to hurrah—I dropped mine to help—the sea gave the boat a twist, and over she went!
The agony that alkali water inflicts50 on bruises51, chafes52 and blistered53 hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it—but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.
In speaking of the peculiarities54 of Mono Lake, I ought to have mentioned that at intervals55 all around its shores stand picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar56 dried hard; and if one breaks off fragments of this rock he will find perfectly57 shaped and thoroughly58 petrified59 gulls’ eggs deeply imbedded in the mass. How did they get there? I simply state the fact—for it is a fact—and leave the geological reader to crack the nut at his leisure and solve the problem after his own fashion.
At the end of a week we adjourned60 to the Sierras on a fishing excursion, and spent several days in camp under snowy Castle Peak, and fished successfully for trout61 in a bright, miniature lake whose surface was between ten and eleven thousand feet above the level of the sea; cooling ourselves during the hot August noons by sitting on snow banks ten feet deep, under whose sheltering edges fine grass and dainty flowers flourished luxuriously62; and at night entertaining ourselves by almost freezing to death. Then we returned to Mono Lake, and finding that the cement excitement was over for the present, packed up and went back to Esmeralda. Mr. Ballou reconnoitred awhile, and not liking63 the prospect64, set out alone for Humboldt.
About this time occurred a little incident which has always had a sort of interest to me, from the fact that it came so near “instigating” my funeral. At a time when an Indian attack had been expected, the citizens hid their gunpowder65 where it would be safe and yet convenient to hand when wanted. A neighbor of ours hid six cans of rifle powder in the bake-oven of an old discarded cooking stove which stood on the open ground near a frame out-house or shed, and from and after that day never thought of it again. We hired a half-tamed Indian to do some washing for us, and he took up quarters under the shed with his tub. The ancient stove reposed66 within six feet of him, and before his face. Finally it occurred to him that hot water would be better than cold, and he went out and fired up under that forgotten powder magazine and set on a kettle of water. Then he returned to his tub.
I entered the shed presently and threw down some more clothes, and was about to speak to him when the stove blew up with a prodigious67 crash, and disappeared, leaving not a splinter behind. Fragments of it fell in the streets full two hundred yards away. Nearly a third of the shed roof over our heads was destroyed, and one of the stove lids, after cutting a small stanchion half in two in front of the Indian, whizzed between us and drove partly through the weather-boarding beyond. I was as white as a sheet and as weak as a kitten and speechless. But the Indian betrayed no trepidation68, no distress35, not even discomfort69. He simply stopped washing, leaned forward and surveyed the clean, blank ground a moment, and then remarked:
“Mph! Dam stove heap gone!”—and resumed his scrubbing as placidly70 as if it were an entirely71 customary thing for a stove to do. I will explain, that “heap” is “Injun-English” for “very much.” The reader will perceive the exhaustive expressiveness72 of it in the present instance.
点击收听单词发音
1 blistering | |
adj.酷热的;猛烈的;使起疱的;可恶的v.起水疱;起气泡;使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 deterred | |
v.阻止,制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 brawny | |
adj.强壮的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 brackish | |
adj.混有盐的;咸的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 augments | |
增加,提高,扩大( augment的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 quenching | |
淬火,熄 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 scorched | |
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 crevices | |
n.(尤指岩石的)裂缝,缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 crater | |
n.火山口,弹坑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 plowing | |
v.耕( plow的现在分词 );犁耕;费力穿过 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 smothering | |
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的现在分词 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 solicitude | |
n.焦虑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 frightful | |
adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 aggravating | |
adj.恼人的,讨厌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 proximity | |
n.接近,邻近 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 leisurely | |
adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 foamy | |
adj.全是泡沫的,泡沫的,起泡沫的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 abreast | |
adv.并排地;跟上(时代)的步伐,与…并进地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 jutting | |
v.(使)突出( jut的现在分词 );伸出;(从…)突出;高出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 verge | |
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 momentous | |
adj.重要的,重大的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 solitudes | |
n.独居( solitude的名词复数 );孤独;荒僻的地方;人迹罕至的地方 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 trifling | |
adj.微不足道的;没什么价值的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 distressed | |
痛苦的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 steering | |
n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 oar | |
n.桨,橹,划手;v.划行 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 laboriously | |
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 Augmented | |
adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 foaming | |
adj.布满泡沫的;发泡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 crests | |
v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的第三人称单数 );到达洪峰,达到顶点 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 belabored | |
v.毒打一顿( belabor的过去式和过去分词 );责骂;就…作过度的说明;向…唠叨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 oars | |
n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 cumbersome | |
adj.笨重的,不便携带的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 apparatus | |
n.装置,器械;器具,设备 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 drenched | |
adj.湿透的;充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 exertions | |
n.努力( exertion的名词复数 );费力;(能力、权力等的)运用;行使 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 inflicts | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 bruises | |
n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 chafes | |
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的第三人称单数 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 blistered | |
adj.水疮状的,泡状的v.(使)起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 );(使表皮等)涨破,爆裂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 peculiarities | |
n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 petrified | |
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 adjourned | |
(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 trout | |
n.鳟鱼;鲑鱼(属) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 luxuriously | |
adv.奢侈地,豪华地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 liking | |
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 gunpowder | |
n.火药 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 reposed | |
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 prodigious | |
adj.惊人的,奇妙的;异常的;巨大的;庞大的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 trepidation | |
n.惊恐,惶恐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 placidly | |
adv.平稳地,平静地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 expressiveness | |
n.富有表现力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |