Behold1 our travellers, then, fairly embarked2 on the waters of the great African river Zambesi, in two canoes, one of which is commanded by Harold Seadrift, the other by Disco Lillihammer.
Of course these enterprising chiefs were modest enough at first to allow two of the Makololo men, Jumbo and Zombo, to wield3 the steering-oars, but after a few days’ practice they became sufficiently4 expert, as Disco said, to take the helm, except when strong currents rendered the navigation difficult, or when the weather became so “piping hot” that none but men clad in black skins could work.
We must however guard the reader here from supposing that it is always piping hot in Africa. There are occasional days when the air may be styled lukewarm, when the sky is serene5, and when all nature seems joyful6 and enjoyable,—days in which a man opens his mouth wide and swallows down the atmosphere; when he feels his health and strength, and rejoices in them, and when, if he be not an infidel, he also feels a sensation of gratitude7 to the Giver of all good.
On such a day, soon after entering the East Luavo mouth of the Zambesi, the explorers, for such we may almost venture to style them, ascended8 the smooth stream close to the left bank, Harold leading, Disco following closely in his wake.
The men rowed gently, as if they enjoyed the sweet calm of early morning, and were unwilling9 to disturb the innumerable flocks of wild-fowl that chuckled10 among the reeds and sedges everywhere. Harold sat in the stern, leaning back, and only dipping the steering-oar lazily now and then to keep the canoe from running on the bank, or plunging11 into a forest of gigantic rushes. Disco, having resolved to solace12 himself with a whiff of his darling pipe, had resigned “the helm” to Jumbo, and laid himself in a position of comfort which admitted of his resting his head on the gunwale in such a manner that, out of the corners of his eyes, he could gaze down into the water.
The part of the river they had reached was so perfectly13 still that every cloud in the sky, every mangrove14, root and spray, and every bending bulrush, was perfectly reproduced in the reflected world below. Plaintive15 cries of wild-fowl formed appropriate melody, to which chattering16 groups of monkeys and croaking17 bull-frogs contributed a fine tenor19 and bass20.
“Hallo, Disco!” exclaimed Harold in a subdued21 key, looking over his shoulder.
“Ay, ay, sir?” sighed the seaman22, without moving his position.
“Range up alongside; I want to speak to you.”
“Ay, ay, sir.—Jumbo, you black-faced villain23, d’ee hear that? give way and go ’longside.”
Good-humoured Jumbo spoke24 very little English, but had come to understand a good deal during his travels with Dr Livingstone. He wrinkled his visage and showed his brilliant teeth on receiving the order. Muttering a word to the men, and giving a vigorous stroke, he shot up alongside of the leader’s canoe.
“You seem comfortable,” said Harold, with a laugh, as Disco’s vast visage appeared at his elbow.
“I is.”
“Isn’t this jolly?” continued Harold.
“No, sir, ’taint.”
“Why, what d’you mean?”
“I means that jolly ain’t the word, by a long way, for to express the natur’ o’ my feelin’s. There ain’t no word as I knows on as ’ud come up to it. If I wor a fylosipher, now, I’d coin a word for the occasion. P’raps,” continued Disco, drawing an unusually long whiff from his pipe, “p’raps, not bein’ a fylosipher, I might nevertheless try to coin one. Wot’s the Latin, now, for heaven?”
“Caelum,” replied Harold.
“Sailum, eh? An’ wot’s the ’arth?”
“Terra.”
“Terra? well now, wot rediklous names to give to ’em,” said Disco, shaking his head gravely, “I can’t see why the ancients couldn’t ha’ bin25 satisfied with the names that we’d given ’em. Hows’ever, that’s neither here nor there. My notion o’ the state o’ things that we’ve got into here, as they now stand, is, that they are sailumterracious, which means heaven-upon-earth, d’ee see?”
As Disco pronounced the word with a powerful emphasis on the u-m part of it the sound was rather effective, and seemed to please him.
“Right; you’re right, or nearly so,” replied Harold; “but don’t you think the word savours too much of perfection, seeing that breakfast would add to the pleasure of the present delightful26 state of things, and make them even more sailumterracious than they are?”
“No, sir, no; the word ain’t too parfect,” replied Disco, with a look of critical severity; “part of it is ’arth, and ’arth is imparfect, bein’ susceptible27 of a many improvements, among which undoubtedly28 is breakfast, likewise dinner an’ supper, to say nothin’ of lunch an’ tea, which is suitable only for babbies an’ wimen; so I agrees with you, sir, that the state o’ things will be sailumterraciouser if we goes ashore29 an’ has breakfast.”
He tapped the head of his very black little pipe on the edge of the canoe, and heaved a sigh of contentment as he watched the ash-ball that floated away on the stream; then, rousing himself, he seized the steering-oar and followed Harold into a small creek30, which was pleasantly overshadowed by the rich tropical foliage31 of that region.
While breakfast was being prepared by Antonio, whose talents as chef-de-cuisine were of the highest order, Harold took his rifle and rambled32 into the bush in search of game—any kind of game, for at that time he had had no experience whatever of the sport afforded by the woods of tropical Africa, and, having gathered only a few vague ideas from books, he went forth33 with all the pleasurable excitement and expectation that we may suppose peculiar34 to discoverers.
Disco Lillihammer having only consumed his first pipe of tobacco, and holding it to be a duty which he owed to himself to consume two before breakfast, remained at the camp-fire to smoke and chaff35 Antonio, whose good-nature was only equalled by his activity.
“Wot have ’ee got there?” inquired Disco, as Antonio poured a quantity of seed into a large pot.
“Dis? vy, hims be mapira,” replied the interpreter, with a benignant smile. “Hims de cheef food ob dis konterie.”
It must be remarked here that Antonio’s English, having been acquired from all sorts of persons, in nearly every tropical part of the globe, was somewhat of a jumble36, being a compound of the broken English spoken by individuals among the Germans, French, Portuguese37, Arabs, and Negroes, with whom he had at various times associated, modified by his own ignorance, and seasoned with a dash of his own inventive fancy.
“Is it good?” asked Disco.
“Goot!” exclaimed Antonio. Being unable to find words to express himself, the enthusiastic cook placed his hand on the region which was destined38 ere long to become a receptacle for the mapira, and rolled his eyes upwards39 in rapture40. “Hah! oo sall see behind long.”
“Before long, you mean,” observed the seaman.
“Dat all same ting, s’long’s you onerstand him,” replied Antonio complacently41.—“Bring vatter now, Jumbo. Put him in careful. Not spill on de fire—zo—goot.”
Jumbo filled up the kettle carefully, and a broad grin overspread his black visage, partly because he was easily tickled44 into a condition of risibility45 by the cool off-hand remarks of Disco Lillihammer, and partly because, having acquired his own small smattering of English from Dr Livingstone, he was intelligent enough to perceive that in regard to Antonio’s language there was something peculiar.
“Now, go fitch noder kittle—queek.”
“Yis, sar—zo—goot,” replied Jumbo, mimicking46 the interpreter, and going off with a vociferous47 laugh at his little joke, in which he was joined by his sable48 clansmen, Masiko and Zombo.
“Hims got ’nuff of impoodidence,” said the interpreter, as he bustled49 about his avocations50.
“He’s not the only one that’s got more than enough impoodidence,” said Disco, pushing a fine straw down the stem of his “cutty,” to make it draw better. “I say, Tony,” (our regardless seaman had already thus mutilated his name), “you seem to have plenty live stock in them parts.”
“Plenty vat42?” inquired the interpreter, with a perplexed51 expression.
“Why, plenty birds and beasts,—live stock we calls it, meanin’ thereby52 livin’ creeturs.” He pointed53 towards an opening in the mangroves, through which were visible the neighbouring mud and sand flats, swarming54 with wild-fowl, and conspicuous55 among which were large flocks of pelicans56, who seemed to be gorging57 themselves comfortably from an apparently58 inexhaustible supply of fish in the pools left by the receding59 tide.
“Ho, yis, me perceive; yis, plenty bird and beast—fishes too, and crawbs—look dare.”
He pointed to a part of the sands nearest to their encampment which appeared to be alive with some small creatures.
“That’s coorious,” said Disco, removing his pipe, and regarding the phenomenon with some interest.
“No, ’taint koorous, it’s crawbs,” replied Antonio.
“Crabs60, is it?” said Disco, rising and sauntering down to the sands; for he possessed62 an inquiring mind, with a special tendency to investigate the habits (pranks, as he called them) of the lower animals, which, in other circumstances, might have made him a naturalist63.
Muttering to himself—he was fond of muttering to himself, it felt companionable,—“coorious, very coorious, quite ’stroanary,” he crept stealthily to the edge of the mangroves, and there discovered that the sands were literally64 alive with myriads65 of minute crabs, which were actively66 engaged—it was supposed by those who ought to know best—in gathering67 their food. The moment the tide ebbed68 from any part of the sands, out came these crablets in swarms69, and set to work, busy as bees, ploughing up the sand, and sifting70 it, apparently for food, until the whole flat was rendered rough by their incessant71 labours. Approaching cautiously, Disco observed that each crab61, as he went along sidewise, gathered a round bit of moist sand at his mouth, which was quickly brushed away by one of his claws, and replaced by another, and another, as fast as they could be brushed aside.
“Eatin’ sand they are!” muttered Disco in surprise; but presently the improbability of sand being very nutritious72 food, even for crabs, forced itself on him, and he muttered his conviction that they “was scrapin’ for wittles.”
Having watched the crabs a considerable time, and observed that they frequently interrupted their labours to dart73 suddenly into their holes and out again—for the purpose, he conjectured74, of “havin’ a drop o’ summat to wet their whistles,”—Disco thrust the cutty into his vest pocket, and walked a little further out on the flat in the hope of discovering some new objects of interest. Nor was he disappointed. Besides finding that the pools left by the tide swarmed75 with varieties of little fish—many of them being “coorious,”—he was fortunate enough to witness a most surprising combat.
It happened thus:— Perceiving, a little to his right, some small creature hopping76 about on the sand near to a little pool, he turned aside to observe it more closely. On his drawing near, the creature jumped into the pool. Disco advanced to the edge, gazed intently into the water, and saw nothing except his own reflected image at the bottom. Presently the creature reappeared. It was a small fish—a familiar fish, too—which he had known in the pools of his native land by the name of blenny. As the blenny appeared to wish to approach the edge of the pool, Disco retired77, and, placing a hand on each knee, stooped, in order to make himself as small as possible. He failed, the diminution78 in his height being fully43 counterbalanced by the latitudinal79 extension of his elbows!
Presently the blenny put its head out of the water, and looked about. We speak advisedly. The blenny is altogether a singular, an exceptional fish. It can, and does, look sidewise, upwards and downwards80, with its protruding81 eyes, as knowingly, and with as much vivacity82, as if it were a human being. This power in a fish has something of the same awesome83 effect on an observer that might possibly result were a horse to raise its head and smile at him.
Seeing that the coast was clear, for Disco stood as motionless as a mangrove tree, blenny hopped84 upon the dry land. The African blenny is a sort of amphibious animal, living nearly as much out of the water as in it. Indeed its busiest time, we are told, (See Dr Livingstone’s Zambesi and its Tributaries85, page 843.) is at low water, when, by means of its pectoral fins86 it crawls out on the sand and raises itself into something of a standing87 attitude, with its bright eyes keeping a sharp look-out for the light-coloured flies on which it feeds.
For several seconds Disco gazed at the fish, and the fish gazed around, even turning its head a little, as well as its eyes, on this side and on that. Presently a small fly, with that giddy heedlessness which characterises the race, alighted about two inches in front of blenny’s nose. Instantly the fish leaped that vast space, alighted with its underset mouth just over the fly, which immediately rose into it and was entombed.
“Brayvo!” passed through Disco’s brain, but no sound issued from his lips.
Presently another of the giddy ones alighted in front of blenny about a foot distant. This appeared to be much beyond his leaping powers, for, with a slow, stealthy motion, like a cat, he began deliberately88 to stalk his victim. The victim appeared to be blind, for it took no notice of the approaching monster. Blenny displayed marvellous powers of self-control, for he moved on steadily89 without accelerating his speed until within about two inches of his prey—then he leapt as before, and another fly was entombed.
“Well done!” exclaimed Disco, mentally, but still his lips and body were motionless as before.
At this point an enemy, in the shape of another blenny, appeared on the scene. It came up out of a small pool close at hand, and seemed to covet90 the first blenny’s pool, and to set about taking possession of it as naturally as if it had been a human being; for, observing, no doubt, that its neighbour was busily engaged, it moved quietly in the direction of the coveted91 pool. Being a very little fish, it was not observed by Disco, but it was instantly noticed by the first blenny, which, being rather the smaller of the two, we shall style the Little one.
Suddenly Big Blenny threw off all disguise, bounded towards the pool, which was about a foot square, and plunged92 in. No mortal blenny could witness this unwarrantable invasion of its hearth93 and home without being stirred to indignant wrath94. With eyes that seemed to flash fire, and dorsal95 fin18 bristling96 up with rage, Little Blenny made five tremendous leaps of full three inches each, and disappeared. Another moment and a miniature storm ruffled97 the pool: for a few seconds the heavings of the deep were awful; then, out jumped Big Blenny and tried to flee, but out jumped Little Blenny and caught him by the tail; round turned the big one and caught the other by the jaw98.
“Hallo, Disco! breakfast’s ready—where are you?” shouted Harold from the woods.
Disco replied not. It is a question whether he heard the hail at all, so engrossed99 was he in this remarkable100 fight.
“Brayvo!” he exclaimed aloud, when Little Blenny shook his big enemy off and rolled over him.
“Cleverly done!” he shouted, when Big Blenny with a dart took refuge in the pool.
“I knowed it,” he cried approvingly, when Little Blenny forced him a second time to evacuate101 the premises102, “Go in an’ win, little ’un,” thought Disco.
Thus the battle raged furiously, now in the water, now on the sand, while the excited seaman danced round the combatants—both of whom appeared to have become deaf and blind with rage—and gave them strong encouragement, mingled103 with appropriate advice and applause. In fact Disco’s delight would have been perfect, had the size of the belligerents104 admitted of his patting the little blenny on the back; but this of course was out of the question!
At last having struck, worried, bitten, and chased each other by land and sea for several minutes, these pugnacious105 creatures seized each other by their respective throats, like two bull-dogs, and fell exhausted106 on the sand.
“It’s a draw!” exclaimed Disco, rather disappointed.
“No, ’tain’t,” he said, as Little Blenny, reviving, rose up and renewed the combat more furiously than ever; but it was soon ended, for Big Blenny suddenly turned and fled to his own pool. Little Blenny did not crow; he did not even appear to be elated. He evidently felt that he had been called on to perform a disagreeable but unavoidable duty, and deemed it quite unnecessary to wave banners, fire guns, or ring bells in celebration of his victory, as he dived back into his pool amid the ringing cheers of Disco Lillihammer.
“Upon my word, if you have not gone stark107 mad, you must have had a sunstroke,” said Harold, coming forward, “what’s the matter?”
“Too late! too late!” cried Disco, in a mingled tone of amusement and regret.
“D’ye think it is? Are you incurable108 already?” asked his friend.
“Too late to see the most a-stonishin’ scrimmage I ever did behold in my life,” said Disco.
The description of this scrimmage gave the worthy109 seaman a subject for conversation and food for meditation110 during the greater part of the time spent over the morning meal, and there is no saying how long he would have kept referring to and chuckling111 over it—to the great admiration112 and sympathy of the black fellows, who are, as a race, excessively fond of jocularity and fun—had not another of the denizens113 of the mangrove jungle diverted his attention and thoughts rather suddenly.
This was a small monkey, which, seated on a branch overhead, peered at the breakfast-party from among the leaves, with an expression of inquiry114 and of boundless115 astonishment116 that it is quite impossible to describe. Surprise of the most sprightly117 nature, if we may say so, sat enthroned on that small monkey’s countenance118, an expression which was enhanced by the creature’s motions, for, not satisfied with taking a steady look at the intruders from the right side of a leaf, it thrust forward its little black head on the left side of it, and then under it, by way of variety; but no additional light seemed to result from these changes in the point of observation, for the surprise did not diminish.
In one of its intent stares it caught the eye of Disco. The seaman’s jaws119 stopped, as if suddenly locked, and his eyes opened to their widest.
The monkey seemed to feel uneasily that it had attracted attention, for it showed the smallest possible glimpse of its teeth. The action, coupled with the leafy shadows which fell on its countenance, had the effect of a smile, which caused Disco to burst into a loud laugh and point upwards. To bound from its position to a safer retreat, and thence stare at Disco with deep indignation, and a threatening display of all its teeth and gums, in addition to its looks of surprise, was the work of a moment on the part of the small monkey, whereat Disco burst into a renewed roar of laughter, in which he was joined by the whole party.
“Are there many o’ them fellows hereabouts?” inquired the seaman of Antonio.
“Ho, yis, lots ob ’em. T’ousands ebery whars; see, dare am morer.”
He pointed to another part of the umbrageous120 canopy121 overhead, where the face of a still smaller monkey was visible, engaged, like the previous one, in an earnest scrutiny122 of the party, but with a melancholy123, rather than a surprised, expression of visage.
“Wot a miserable124, broken-hearted thing!” said Disco, grinning, in which act he was immediately copied by the melancholy monkey, though from different motives125.
Disco was very fond of monkeys. All his life he had felt a desire to pat and fondle those shivering creatures which he had been accustomed to see on barrel-organs in his native land, and the same strong impulse came over him now.
“Wot a pity the creeturs smell so bad, and ain’t cleanly,” he remarked, gazing affectionately up among the leaves, “they’d make such capital pets; why, there’s another.”
This remark had reference to a third monkey, of large dimensions and fierce countenance, which at that moment rudely thrust the melancholy monkey aside, and took its place. The latter, with a humble126 air and action, took up a new position, somewhat nearer to the fire, where its sad countenance was more distinctly seen.
“Well, it does seem a particularly sorrowful monkey, that,” said Harold, laughing, as he helped himself to another canful of tea.
“The most miserable objic’ I ever did see,” observed Disco.
The negroes looked at each other and laughed. They were accustomed to monkeys, and took little notice of them, but they were mightily127 tickled by Disco’s amusement, for he had laid down his knife and fork, and shook a good deal with internal chuckling, as he gazed upwards.
“One would suppose, now,” he said softly, “that it had recently seen its father and mother, and all its brothers and sisters, removed by a violent death, or sold into slavery.”
“Ha! they never see that,” said Harold; “the brutes128 may fight and kill, but they never enslave each other. It is the proud prerogative129 of man to do that.”
“That’s true, sir, worse luck, as Paddy says,” rejoined Disco. “But look there: wot’s them coorious things round the creetur’s waist—a pair o’ the werry smallest hands—and, hallo! a face no bigger than a button! I do believe that it’s—”
Disco did not finish the sentence, but he was right. The small melancholy monkey was a mother!
Probably that was the cause of its sorrow. It is a touching130 thought that anxiety for its tiny offspring perhaps had furrowed131 that monkey’s visage with the wrinkles of premature132 old age. That danger threatened it on every side was obvious, for no sooner had it taken up its new position, after its unceremonious ejection by the fierce monkey, than the sprightly monkey, before referred to, conceived a plot which it immediately proceeded to carry into execution. Observing that the tail of the sad one hung down in a clear space below the branch on which it sat, the sprightly fellow quickly, but with intense caution and silence, crept towards it, and when within a yard or so sprang into the air and caught the tail!
A wild shriek133, and what Disco styled a “scrimmage,” ensued, during which the mother monkey gave chase to him of the lively visage, using her arms, legs, and tail promiscuously134 to grasp and hold on to branches, and leaving her extremely little one to look out for itself. This it seemed quite capable of doing, for no limpet ever stuck to a solid rock with greater tenacity135 than did that infant to the maternal136 waist throughout the chase. The hubbub137 appeared to startle the whole monkey race, revealing the fact that troops of other monkeys had, unobserved, been gazing at the strangers in silent wonder, since the time of their landing.
Pleasant however, though this state of things undeniably was, it could not be expected to last. Breakfast being concluded, it became necessary that Disco should tear himself from the spot which, having first solaced138 himself with a pipe, he did with a good grace, remarking, as he re-embarked and “took the helm” of his canoe, that he had got more powerful surprises that morning than he had ever before experienced in any previous twelvemonth of his life.
Before long he received many more surprises, especially one of a very different and much less pleasant nature, an account of which will be found in the next chapter.
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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wield
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| vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等) | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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mangrove
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| n.(植物)红树，红树林 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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fin
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tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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subdued
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seaman
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villain
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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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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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undoubtedly
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ashore
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creek
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foliage
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rambled
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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forth
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peculiar
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chaff
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jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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37
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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38
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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39
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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40
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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41
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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42
vat
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| n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶 | |
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43
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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44
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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45
risibility
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| n.爱笑，幽默感 | |
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46
mimicking
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似 | |
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47
vociferous
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| adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的 | |
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48
sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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49
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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50
avocations
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| n.业余爱好，嗜好( avocation的名词复数 )；职业 | |
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51
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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52
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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53
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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54
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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55
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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56
pelicans
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| n.鹈鹕( pelican的名词复数 ) | |
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57
gorging
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的现在分词 )；作呕 | |
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58
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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59
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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60
crabs
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| n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
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61
crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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62
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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63
naturalist
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| n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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64
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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65
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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66
actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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67
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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68
ebbed
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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69
swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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70
sifting
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| n.筛，过滤v.筛( sift的现在分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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71
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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72
nutritious
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| adj.有营养的，营养价值高的 | |
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73
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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76
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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77
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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78
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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79
latitudinal
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| adj.纬度的，纬度方向的 | |
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80
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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81
protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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82
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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83
awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的 | |
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84
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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85
tributaries
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| n. 支流 | |
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86
fins
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| [医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌 | |
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87
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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88
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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89
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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90
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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91
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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92
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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93
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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94
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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95
dorsal
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| adj.背部的，背脊的 | |
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96
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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97
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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98
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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99
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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100
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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101
evacuate
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| v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便 | |
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102
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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103
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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104
belligerents
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| n.交战的一方（指国家、集团或个人）( belligerent的名词复数 ) | |
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105
pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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106
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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107
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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108
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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109
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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110
meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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111
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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112
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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113
denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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114
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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115
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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116
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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117
sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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118
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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119
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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120
umbrageous
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| adj.多荫的 | |
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121
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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122
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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123
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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124
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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125
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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126
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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127
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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128
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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129
prerogative
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| n.特权 | |
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130
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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131
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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132
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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133
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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134
promiscuously
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| adv.杂乱地，混杂地 | |
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135
tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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136
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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137
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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138
solaced
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| v.安慰，慰藉( solace的过去分词 ) | |
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