Plain sailing, fair weather, perpetual calm and sunshine are not the lot of any man or woman here.
The weather, that fertile source of human intercourse4, is occasionally boisterous5 as well as serene6 in the regions of Peru and Bolivia. A day or two after the events recounted in the last chapter our travellers experienced a sudden change.
We have said that they had come to a part of the river where there were occasional stretches of sand, and here they had evidence of the improvident8 nature of Indians, in the number of turtle-shells found lying on the sands with parts of the animals still adhering to them.
On one particular spot they found a space, of about seventy yards in diameter completely covered with the upper and under shells of turtles. These had evidently been cut asunder9 violently with hatchets10, and reddish-brown furrows11 in the sands told where streams of blood had flowed during the massacre12.
“And it is not long since it was done,” said Pedro, “for the flesh—at least what’s left of it—is still fresh.”
“Ugh, you brutes14!” exclaimed Quashy, referring to a number of urubu vultures which stood on the shells, all more or less gorged15, some still tearing sleepily at the meat, others standing16 in apoplectic17 apathy18, quite unable to fly.
They counted upwards19 of three hundred dead turtles, and this carnage, it was afterwards ascertained20, had been the work of only a dozen or so of Indians—not for food, but for the sake of the fine yellow fat covering the intestines21, which formed an article of commerce at the time between the red men and the white.
That night after supper time the party busied themselves in making mosquito-curtains out of a small quantity of green muslin obtained from Spotted22 Tiger’s father-in-law, who had received it from the missionaries23. The supply being quite insufficient24 to make curtains for them all, Quashy had set his fertile brain to work and devised a species of net which, having never been seen in that country before, deserves special notice. It may serve as a hint to other mortals similarly situated25 and tormented26.
“You mus’ know,” remarked Quashy to his friends, who watched him while he fabricated the first of these curtains, “dat my gran’fadder was a injineer, an’ some ob his geenus comed down to me. Dat’s why I’s so clebber wid my hands. Has you got dem hoops28 tied, massa?”
“All right, Quashy, I’m just finishing the last one. There—are these the right sizes?”
“Das right, massa. Biggest two one futt six in dameter; oder two leetle ones, one futt. Now, you looks here, ladies an’ gen’lemen. See, I’s made a bag ob dis muzzlin ’bout two futt six long an’ ’bout two futt wide. Well, one end ob de bag is close up—as you see. ’Tother end am open—as you b’hold. Vwalla! as de Frenchman says. Now, I puts into de closed end one small hoop27—so. Den7 de two large hoops—so—’bout six inches apart. Den de leetle hoop—so. Which makes my bag into what you may call a gauze-barrel, wid de hoops inside ’stead ob outside. Nixt, I puts it ober my head, lets de bottom hoop rest on my shoulders, shoves de slack ob de veil—I calls it a veil, not a curtin,—down my neck under my poncho29, so’s nuffin can git inside, an’ dere you are. No skeeters git at me now!”
“But, Quash,” said Lawrence, who had watched the making of this ingenious device, as well as lent assistance, “there are mosquitoes inside it even now; and with such swarms30 as are about us, how will you keep them out while putting the thing on.”
“Don’ call it a ‘t’ing,’ massa,” said Quashy, with a dignified31 look, “call it a ‘veil.’ Dere’s nuflin easier. See here.”
He rose, took off the veil, and flattened32 the hoops down on each other, so as to drive out all that might be inside. Then he stepped to leeward33 of the fire, held his breath for a few seconds while in the smoke, quickly adjusted his novel head-piece, and stood up fully34 armed against the “skeeters.”
“But,” still objected Lawrence, “how can you lay your head on your pillow with such a thing—beg pardon, such a veil on?”
“Nuffin easier, massa.”
He illustrated35 his point by rolling over into one of the nearest hammocks—which had already been hung—and laying his head down, when, of course, the machine bulged36 away from his black face, and the discomfited37 millions kept thrusting their probosces—and, doubtless, making faces at him—ineffectually.
“But how if you should want to roll about in your sleep?” asked Pedro.
It is right to say that, in spite of the advice thus firmly given, Quashy did roll in his sleep that night, with the result that his nose at last got close to the veil and pressed against it. No malignant39 foe40 ever took advantage of an enemy’s weak point more promptly41 than did the “skeeters” of Quashy’s nocturnal trumpet42. They settled on its point with a species of triumphant43 hum. They warred with each other in their bloodthirsty desire to seize on the delicate but limited morsel44. It was “cut and come again”—at least it was “cut away and let others come on”—as long as the chance lasted. And the consequence was that Quashy rose next morning with two noses! His natural nose being a mere45 lump of fat and the lump raised on it being much the same in form and size with the original, we feel justified46 in saying that he had two noses—nearly.
Notwithstanding, it is but fair to add that the veils were afterwards pronounced a great success.
But to return.
That night, after the veils in question had been made and put on by all except Tiger, who was skeeto-proof, and the happy wearers were steeped in blissful repose47, a tremendous hurricane burst upon them, with thunder, lightning, and rain. The wind came in furious gusts48 which tore away some of the veils, overturned the hammocks, scattered49 the bedding, extinguished the fire, drenched50 them to the skin, and otherwise rendered them supremely51 miserable52.
Retiring to a thicker part of the jungle, they cut down branches and made a temporary erection which they covered with ponchos53 and blankets; but as everything had to be done in the dark, it was a wretched affair, and, at the best, only a partial protection. Into the furthest extremity54 of this hut poor Manuela crept. The others followed, and there they all sat or reclined, shivering, till morning.
About daybreak Lawrence heard Pedro and the Indian girl conversing55 in the Indian language and in unusually earnest tones, which were interrupted once or twice by slight laughter. He wondered much what they found to laugh at, but having become by that time accustomed to the guide’s little touches of mystery, and being very sleepy, he did not trouble himself about it long.
The storm happily was short-lived, and when the sun appeared, enabling them to dry their garments, and a good breakfast had been eaten, the discomforts56 of the past night were forgotten, and Quashy even ceased to growl57 at the “skeeters” and lament58 his double nose.
Hitherto they had met with few Indians, and these few were friendly, being acquainted either personally or by report with Spotted Tiger, for the man’s reputation as a jaguar59 and puma60 slayer61 had extended far beyond his own tribe. That day, however, several native canoes were passed, and in the evening they found that the place on which Tiger had made up his mind to encamp was in possession of Indians.
“Friendly?” asked Pedro, as they approached the shore.
“Yes, friendly,” replied Tiger.
“Would it not be better to go a little further and encamp away from them?” asked Lawrence, who retained unpleasant memories of the dirtiness of Indian encampments.
“Tiger wishes to speak to them,” said Pedro, as the canoe was run on shore.
It was found that the party consisted of several families of Indians who were out on a turtle-hunting expedition, for the season had arrived when turtles lay their eggs.
This laying season of the turtle sets the whole population of those regions, civilised and savage62, in motion, searching in the sands for eggs, and capturing or killing63 the animals. The Indians now met with were on the latter business. Upon the weather depends the commencement of this season of unwonted activity among the turtles and wild excitement among the river-side Indians, for the snows must cease to fall on the summits of the Andes, and the rivers must decrease in volume so as to lay bare vast spaces of sand, before the eggs can be laid.
No alderman in London city ever equalled—much less excelled—a South American savage of that region in his love of turtle, or in his capacity for devouring64 it. But the savage goes immeasurably further than the alderman! He occupies altogether a higher and more noble position in regard to the turtle, for he not only studies, with prolonged care and deep interest, its habits and manners, but follows it, watches it, catches it, kills it, and, finally, cooks it with his own hands, before arriving at the alderman’s comparatively simple and undignified act of eating it.
So exact are these Indians in their observations and knowledge of the turtle question, that they can tell almost to a day when and where their unsuspecting victims will land and lay. There was an extensive stretch of flat sand close to the spot where our voyageurs put ashore65, on which the Indians had observed numerous claw-marked furrows, which had been traced by the turtles. Here, therefore, they had called a halt, built a number of ajoupas, or leafy sheds, about two hundred yards from the edge of the river, under the shelter of which to sit at night and watch for their prey66.
The turtles, it was found, were expected to land that night. Meanwhile, the savages67 were regaling themselves with a splendid dish, or rather jar, containing hundreds of turtles’ eggs, mixed with bananas.
These they hospitably68 shared with their visitors. The mess was very palatable69, though “heavy,” and our travellers did justice to it—especially the negro, whose gastronomic70 powers were equal to all emergencies.
“How do they know,” asked Lawrence, as he and Pedro busied themselves in tying up the hammocks in a suitable part of the jungle, “when to expect the turtles?”
“Who can tell?” said Pedro. “Instinct, I suppose.”
“But dey not stink71 at all,” objected Quashy, “anyhow, not till arter dey’s dead, so’t can’t be dat.”
“It’s not that kind of stink I mean, Quashy; quite another sort,” said Pedro, who felt unequal to the task of explanation. “But look sharp; we must lend the Indians a helping72 hand to-night.”
“But I don’t know nuffin about it,” said Quashy, “an’ a man what don’t know what to do is on’y in de way ob oder peepil.”
“You take a just view of things, boy,” returned Pedro, “but you won’t find it difficult to learn. Five minutes looking at what the Indians do will suffice, for they only turn the turtles.”
“How you mean? Turn ’im upside-down, or outside in—w’ich?”
“You’d find it hard to do the last, Quashy. No, you’ve only to turn them over on their backs, and let them lie; that’s all.”
While the negro was thus gathering73 useful knowledge, the Indians amused themselves in various ways until darkness should call them forth74 to the business of the hour. Some, with that amazing tendency to improve their personal appearance, which is common alike to civilised and savage, plucked out the little beard with which nature had endowed them by means of tweezers75, deeming it no doubt wiser on the whole to pluck up the beard by the roots than to cut it off close thereto, as indeed it was, seeing that the former process did not need regular repetition. Others were still busy with the turtle-egg ragout, unable, apparently76 to decide whether or not appetite was satisfied. Two somewhat elderly but deeply interested savages whiled away the time with a game of cup-and-ball, turn and turn about, with imperturbable77 gravity.
This game was different from that of Europe to the extent of being played on precisely78 opposite principles. It was not he who caught the ball on the point of the sharp stick that won, but he who failed to catch it, for failure was more difficult to achieve than success! The explanation is simple. The handle was a piece of pointed79 wood, about the thickness of a ramrod, and a yard or so in length. To this, by a piece of string made from fibres of the palm, was attached the ball, which was formed of the skull80 of a turtle, carefully scraped. There was no “cup” in the game. It was all point, and the great point was to touch the ball a certain number of times without catching81 it, a somewhat difficult feat82 to accomplish owing to the dozen or more natural cavities with which the skull-ball was pierced, and into one of which the point was almost always pretty sure to enter.
At last the shades of night descended83 on the scene, and the Indians, laying aside ragout, tweezers, cup-and-ball, etcetera, went down to the sand-flats, and crouched84, kneeled, or squatted85 under the leafy ajoupas. Of course their visitors accompanied them.
It was a profoundly dark night, for during the first part of it there was no moon, and the stars, although they lent beauty and lustre86 to the heavens, did not shed much light upon the sands. There is a weird87 solemnity about such a scene which induces contemplative thought even in the most frivolous88, while it moves the religious mind to think more definitely, somehow, of the near presence of the Creator. For some time Lawrence, who crouched in profound silence beside Pedro, almost forgot the object for which he was waiting there. The guide seemed to be in a similarly absent mood, for he remarked at last in a low voice—
“How striking would be the contrasts presented to us constantly by nature, if we were not so thoroughly89 accustomed to them! Storm, and noise, and war of elements last night,—to-night, silence, calm, and peace! At present, darkness profound,—in half an hour or so the moon will rise, and the sands will be like a sheet of silver. This moment, quiet repose,—a few moments hence, it may be, all will be turmoil90 and wildest action—that is, if the turtles come.”
“True,” assented91 Lawrence, “and we may add yet another illustration: at one moment, subjects of contemplation most sublime,—next moment, objects the most ridiculous.”
He pointed as he spoke92 to Quashy, whose grinning teeth and glaring eyes alone were distinctly visible in the background of ebony. He was creeping on his hands and knees, by way of rendering93 himself, if possible, less obtrusive94.
“Massa,” he said, in a hoarse95 yet apologetic whisper, “I’s come to ax if you t’ink de turtles am comin’ at all dis night.”
“How can I tell, Quash, you stupid fellow? Get away to your own ajoupa, and keep quiet. I wonder the Indians haven’t let fly a poisoned arrow at you. Go,—and have patience.”
Poor Quashy shut his mouth and his eyes—it was as if three little lights had gone out—while his dusky frame melted into its native gloom.
No sound was to be heard on the sand-flats after that until about midnight, when the moon appeared on the horizon. Just then a sound was heard on the river.
“Here they come,” whispered Pedro.
The sound increased. It was like a swirling96, hissing97 noise. Soon they could see by the increasing light that the water of the river seemed actually to boil. Immediately afterwards, thousands of turtles came tumbling clumsily out of the water, and spread themselves over the flats.
Evidently egg-laying was no joke with them. The well-known sluggishness98 of the creatures was laid aside for this great occasion, and wonderful activity marked their every movement from first to last. You see, they had to manage the business in a wholesale99 sort of fashion, each turtle having from thirty to forty eggs, or more, to deposit in the sand,—on which sand, in conjunction with the sun, devolved the duty of subsequent maternal100 care.
That the creatures acted on pre-arranged principles was evident from the fact that they worked in separate detachments, each working-party devoting its energies to the digging of a trench101 two feet deep, four feet broad, and sometimes 200 yards long. Their zeal102 was amazing; as well it might be, for they allowed themselves less than an hour in which to do it all. Each animal dug like a hero with its fore-feet, and sent the sand flying about it to such an extent that the whole flat appeared to be enveloped103 in a thick fog!
When satisfied that their trench was deep enough they stopped work, deposited their soft-shelled eggs, and, with their hind104 feet, soon filled up the trench. So great was their eagerness and hurry, that during the operation more than one turtle, tumbling over her companions, rolled into the trench and was buried alive. No sooner was the stupendous work accomplished105 than they made a disorderly rush for the river, as if aware of the fate which threatened them.
And now at last came the opportunity of the savage. The Iron Duke’s “Up, guards, and at ’em!” could not have been more promptly or gladly obeyed than was the signal of the red-skinned chief. Like statues they had awaited it. Like catapults they responded to it, with yells of mingled106 madness and joy.
But there was method in their madness. To have run between the shelly host and the river, so as to cut off its retreat, would have been sheer lunacy, at which Luna herself—by that time shining superbly—would have paled with horror, for the men would have certainly been overthrown107 and trampled108 under foot by the charging squadrons. What the Indians did was to rush upon the flanks of the host, seize the animals’ tail, and hurl109 them over on their backs, in which position they lay flapping helplessly. Before the retreating “miserables” reached the river, hundreds of captives were thus obtained.
You may be sure that Lawrence and Pedro and Spotted Tiger acted their part well that night, and that Quashy was not long in learning his lesson!
The first tail the negro grasped slipped through his hands, so mighty110 was his effort, and, as a consequence, he sat down with that sudden involuntary flop111 which one associates irresistibly112 with nurseries. Jumping up, and rendered wise, he took a better grip next time, turned the turtle over, and fell on the top of it, receiving a tremendous whack113 on the cheek from its right flipper114 as a reward for his clumsiness. But practice makes perfect. Even in the brief space of time at his disposal, Quashy managed to turn ten turtles with his own hands, besides turning himself over six times, if not more.
Rendered wild by success, and desperate with anxiety, as the fugitives115 neared the river, the negro fixed116 his glittering eyes on a particularly huge turtle, which was scuttling117 along in almost drunken haste. With an impromptu118 war-howl, Quashy charged down on it, and caught it by the tail. With a heave worthy119 of Hercules he lifted his foe some inches off the sand, but failed to turn it. Making a second effort, he grasped the edge of the creature’s shell with his left hand, and the tail more firmly with the right.
“Huyp!” he shouted, and made a Herculean heave. A second time he would have failed, if it had not been that he was on the edge of a part of the trench which the turtles had not had time to fill up. The weight of the creature caused a fore-leg to break off part of the edge, and over it went, slowly, on its side,—almost balancing thus, and flapping as it went. To expedite the process Quashy seized it by the neck and gave another heave and howl. Unfortunately, the edge of the trench again gave way under one of his own feet, and he fell into it with a cry of distress120, for the turtle fell on the top of him, crushing him down into the soft watery121 sand!
Well was it for Quashy that night that Lawrence Armstrong had good ears, and was prompt to respond to the cry of distress, else had he come to an untimely and inglorious end! Hearing the cry, Lawrence looked quickly round, guessed the cause, shouted to Pedro, who was not far-off, and was soon on the spot,—yet not a moment too soon, for poor Quashy was almost squashy by that time. They dragged the turtle off, dug the negro out, and found that he had become insensible.
Raising him gently in their arms, they bore him up to the camp, where they found Manuela ready to minister to him.
“Dead!” exclaimed the horrified122 girl when she saw the negro laid down, and beheld123 the awful dirty-green colour of his countenance124.
“I hope not,” replied Lawrence, earnestly.
“I’s sh–—squeesh!—sure not!” exclaimed Quashy himself, with a sneeze, as he opened his eyes.
And Quashy, we need scarcely add, was right. He was not dead. He did not die for many years afterwards. For aught that we know, indeed, he may be living still, for he came of a very long-lived race.
His accident, however, had the useful effect of preventing his giving way to too exuberant125 felicity, and rendered him a little more careful as to the quantity of turtle-egg ragout which he consumed that night for supper.
It would be pleasant to end our chapter here, but a regard for facts compels us to refer to the slaughter of the unfortunate turtles next morning.
There is in the interior of the turtle a quantity of yellow fat, which is said to be superior in delicacy126 to the fat of the goose, and from which is obtained a fine oil, highly prized as an article of commerce. To secure this fat, the animals which had been “turned” were killed at daylight the following morning. The axes of the Indians caused the shells to fly in splinters; the intestines were then torn out and handed to the Indian women, whose duty it was to remove from them the precious fat, after which the carcasses were left to the vultures and fisher-eagles, which flocked from afar to the scene of carnage with that unerring instinct which has so often been commented on by travellers, but which no one can understand.
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1
ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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eccentricity
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| n.古怪，反常，怪癖 | |
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fecundity
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| n.生产力；丰富 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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improvident
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| adj.不顾将来的，不节俭的，无远见的 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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hatchets
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| n.短柄小斧( hatchet的名词复数 )；恶毒攻击；诽谤；休战 | |
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furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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gorged
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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apoplectic
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| adj.中风的；愤怒的；n.中风患者 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intestines
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| n.肠( intestine的名词复数 ) | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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hoops
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| n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓 | |
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poncho
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| n.斗篷，雨衣 | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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47
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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48
gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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49
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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50
drenched
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| 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） | |
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51
supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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52
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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53
ponchos
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| n.斗篷( poncho的名词复数 ) | |
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54
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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55
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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56
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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57
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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58
lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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59
jaguar
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| n.美洲虎 | |
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60
puma
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| 美洲豹 | |
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61
slayer
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| n. 杀人者，凶手 | |
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62
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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63
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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64
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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66
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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67
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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68
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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gastronomic
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| adj.美食（烹饪）法的，烹任学的 | |
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71
stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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72
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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73
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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74
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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75
tweezers
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| n.镊子 | |
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76
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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80
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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81
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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82
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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83
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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84
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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86
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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90
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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93
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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94
obtrusive
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| adj.显眼的；冒失的 | |
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95
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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96
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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97
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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98
sluggishness
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| 不振，萧条，呆滞；惰性；滞性；惯性 | |
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99
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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100
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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101
trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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102
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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103
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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105
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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106
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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107
overthrown
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| adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词 | |
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108
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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109
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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110
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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111
flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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112
irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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113
whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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114
flipper
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| n. 鳍状肢，潜水用橡皮制鳍状肢 | |
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115
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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116
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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117
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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118
impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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119
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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120
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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121
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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122
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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123
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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124
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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125
exuberant
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| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
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126
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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