Goongoonteh, a deep gloomy zig-zagged fissure3, of very straitened dimensions, is hemmed4 in by craggy lava5 and basaltic walls, intersected by dykes6 of porphyry, augitic greenstone and pistacite, with decomposed7 sulphate of iron, all combining to impart a strangely variegated8 appearance. Scattered9 and inclined in various directions, although towering almost perpendicularly11, they terminate abruptly12 in a rude pile of rocks and lulls13, through a narrow aperture14 in which the path to the next halting ground at Allooli, where the torrent15 takes its source, strikes off at an angle of 90 degrees.
Huge prostrate16 blocks of porphyry and basalt, which have been launched from the impending17 scarps, and now reduce the channel to this narrow passage, are in places so heaped and jammed together by some mighty18 agency, as to form spacious19 and commodious20 caverns21. In the rainy season especially, these doubtless prove of wonderful convenience to the wayfarer22; and no tent arriving until late the following day, the re-assembled party were fain to have recourse to them for shelter against the fierce hot blast from the Salt Lake, which, unremitting in its dire10 persecutions, now blew directly up the ravine. But the rocks soon became too hot to be touched with impunity23, and the oblique24 rays of the sun, after he had passed the meridian25, darting26 through every aperture, the caves were shortly converted into positive ovens, in which the heat, if possible, was even more intolerable than ever. Unlike former stations, however, there was, in this close unventilated chasm27, a luxurious28 supply of water to be obtained from the living rill which murmured past the entrance, and although raised to the temperature of a thermal29 spring by the direct influence of the solar rays, and withal somewhat brackish30 to the taste, it was far from being pronounced unpalatable.
Notwithstanding that the neighbourhood afforded neither the smallest particle of forage32 nor of fuel, it became necessary, in consequence of the non-arrival of one half of the camels, no less than from the exhaustion33 of many of the party, to halt a day in the hot unhealthy gully; and this delay afforded to the treacherous34 creese of the lurking35 Bedouin an opportunity of accomplishing that which had only been threatened by drought and famine. The guides objecting strongly to the occupation of the caves after nightfall, on account of the many marauding parties of Eesah and Muda?to, by whom the wady is infested36, every one, as a measure of precaution, slept in the open air among the baggage, half a mile lower down the ravine, where the caravan37 had halted. The dry sandy bed of the stream was here narrow, and the cliffs—broken for a short distance on either side into hillocks of large distinct boulders—again resumed their consistency39 after an interval40 of one hundred yards, and enclosed the camp in a deep gloom.
The straitened figure of the bivouac rendered it impossible to make arrangements with much regularity41 in view to defence. The horses were picketted in the centre of the ravine. The European escort occupied a position betwixt them and the northern side, and the scanty43 beds of the officers of the party were spread close to the southern bank. A strong picket42 of the Danákil was placed a little distance in advance; and, in addition to the numerous other native guards in various quarters, the usual precaution was observed of mounting a European sentry44, whose beat extended the length of the front of the encampment. Old Izhák slept close to the beds of the embassy, and, evidently in a state of considerable trepidation45, solaced46 himself until a late hour by recounting bloody47 tales of murder and assassination48, perpetrated, within his knowledge, by the mountain Buddoos haunting the ravine of Goongoonteh, which, being the high road to the Salt Lake, forms the resort of numerous evil disposed ruffians, who are ever on the prowl to cut throats, and to do mischief49.
The first night, although awfully50 oppressive from the heat exhaled51 from the baked ground, and the absence of even the smallest zephyr52, passed quietly enough; and after another grilling53 day, which seemed to have no termination, spent within the caverns, the same nocturnal arrangement as before was observed with undiminished precaution. An hour before midnight a sudden and violent sirocco scoured54 the wady, the shower of dust and pebbles55 raised by its hot blast, being followed by a few heavy drops of rain, with a calm, still as the sleep of death. The moon rose shortly afterwards, and about two o’clock a wild Irish yell, which startled the whole party from their fitful slumbers56, was followed by a rush of men, and a clatter57 of hoofs58, towards the beds of the Embassy. Every man sprang instinctively59 on his feet, seized a gun, of which two or three lay loaded beside each, and standing31 on his pillow with weapon cocked, prepared for the reception of the unseen assailants. Fortunate was it that no luckless savage60, whether friend or foe61, followed in the disorderly retreat, or consequences the most appalling62 must inevitably63 have ensued; but the white legs of half-naked and unarmed artillerymen having passed at speed, were followed only by a crush of horses and mules64 that had burst from their pickets65. So complete was the panic caused by a sudden start from deep sleep to witness the realisation of the murderous tales of midnight assassination which had been poured into their ears, that the flying soldiery, who in the battle field had seen comrades fell thick around them, and witnessed death in a thousand terrific forms, were rallied with difficulty. But a panic is of short duration if officers perform their duty, and the word “Halt!” acted like magic upon the bewildered senses of the survivors66, who, falling in, formed line behind the rifles.
Hurrying to the spot which they had occupied, a melancholy67 and distressing68 sight presented itself. A sergeant69 and a corporal lay weltering in the blood with which their scanty beds were deeply stained, and both were in the last agonies of death. One had been struck with a creese in the carotid artery70 immediately below the ear, and the other stabbed through the heart; whilst speechless beside their mangled71 bodies was stretched a Portuguese72 follower73, with a frightful74 gash75 across the abdomen76, whence the intestines77 were protruding78. Aroused in all probability during this act of cold-blooded murder, and attempting to give the alarm, he had received a fatal slash79 as the dastards retreated; but almost instantaneous death had followed each previous blow of the creese, which, whilst the back of the sentinel was turned, had been dealt with mortal and unerring precision.
Two human figures being perceived at the moment the alarm was first raised, crossing the lower gorge80 of the ravine, and absconding81 towards the hills which bounded the further extremity82 of the camp, were promptly83 pursued by Mohammad Ali and his band of followers84, who had seized spear and shield with the utmost alacrity85; but although the moon shone bright, and the stars twinkled in the clear firmament86, the broken and stony87 nature of the ground facilitated the escape of the miscreants88 under the deep shadow cast by the overhanging mountains, where objects could not be distinguished89.
This afflicting catastrophe gave birth in the breast of all to a by no means unnatural90 feeling of distrust towards the escort engaged on the sea-coast, not only as to their ability, but also as to their intention to afford protection. The European party had lain down in full and entire confidence, only to be aroused by the perpetration of this most diabolical91 and fiendish deed; and although those who had been so fortunate as to escape might, now that they had become aware of the existing peril92, defend their own lives, yet such an alternative, involving the abandonment of all the government property in charge, was far from being enviable. Upon after investigation93, however, it appeared probable, as well from the evil character borne by the gloomy ravine, as from the numberless murders known to be annually94 committed under similar circumstances of wanton atrocity96 amongst the native káfilahs en route, that a party of the Eesah Somauli, inhabitants of the opposite coast of Goobut el Kharáb, but who, to gratify an insatiate thirst for human blood, are in the habit of making frequent incursions into the country of the Danákil, had seized the opportunity afforded by the absence of the sentry at the further extremity of his beat, to steal unperceived down the inumbrated bank of the hollow, and perpetrate the dastardly and cold-blooded outrage97.
No attempt to plunder98 appeared as an excuse for the Satanic crime, and the only object doubtless was the acquisition of that barbarous estimation and distinction which is only to be arrived at through deeds of assassination and blood. For every victim, sleeping or waking, that falls under the murderous knife of one of these fiends in human form, he is entitled to display a white ostrich99 plume100 in the woolly hair, to wear on the arm an additional bracelet101 of copper102, and to adorn103 the hilt of his reeking104 creese with yet another stud of silver or pewter—his reputation for prowess and for bravery rising amongst his clansmen in proportion to the atrocity of the attendant circumstances. At perpetual strife105 with the Danákil, although the chiefs of the tribes are on outward terms of friendship, and even of alliance, no opportunity is lost of retaliating106 upon the mountain Bedouin—every fresh hostility107 creating a new blood feud108, and each life taken on either side, being revenged two-fold, ad infinitum.
Ere the day dawned the mangled bodies of the dead, now stiff and stark109, were consigned110 by their sorrowing comrades to rude but compact receptacles of boulder38 stones—untimely tombs constructed by the native escort, who had voluntarily addressed themselves to the task. And a short prayer, suited to the melancholy occasion, having been repeated as the mortal remains111 of each gallant112 fellow, enveloped113 in a blood-stained winding114 sheet, were lowered to their wild resting-place, three volleys of musketry, paying the soldier’s last tribute, rang among the dark recesses115 of the ravine, when the hurried obsequies were concluded by scaling the entrance to the cemeteries116, in which, however, it is not probable that the dastardly sons of Satan—still doubtless watching with savage satisfaction from some inaccessible117 cranny—long suffered their victims to sleep.
In the grave-like calm of the night, under the pale light of the wan95 moon, which only partially118 illumined the funereal119 crags that hemmed in the dreary120 chasm, and rose in gloomy sadness over the vaults121 of the departed, the scene was mournful and impressive. Mohammad Ali, Izhák, and Hajji Kásim, with all their retainers, appeared deeply touched by the fatal occurrences that had so thinned the ranks of a party for whose lives they had made themselves responsible; but they referred the event to fate and to the Almighty122 fiat123, adding that, although they were unable to restore the dead to life, or undo124 that which by the will of Heaven had been done, their own eyes should never close in sleep so long as danger was to be apprehended125 from the dreaded126 Eesah, whose only honour and wealth consists in the number of foul127 butcheries with which their consciences are stained, and whom even savages128 concur129 in representing as sanguinary and ferocious130 monsters, “fearing neither God nor Devil.”
点击收听单词发音
1 afflicting | |
痛苦的 | |
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2 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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3 fissure | |
n.裂缝;裂伤 | |
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4 hemmed | |
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围 | |
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5 lava | |
n.熔岩,火山岩 | |
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6 dykes | |
abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 );坝;堰;沟 | |
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7 decomposed | |
已分解的,已腐烂的 | |
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8 variegated | |
adj.斑驳的,杂色的 | |
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9 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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10 dire | |
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的 | |
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11 perpendicularly | |
adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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12 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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13 lulls | |
n.间歇期(lull的复数形式)vt.使镇静,使安静(lull的第三人称单数形式) | |
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14 aperture | |
n.孔,隙,窄的缺口 | |
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15 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
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16 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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17 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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18 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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19 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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20 commodious | |
adj.宽敞的;使用方便的 | |
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21 caverns | |
大山洞,大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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22 wayfarer | |
n.旅人 | |
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23 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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24 oblique | |
adj.斜的,倾斜的,无诚意的,不坦率的 | |
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25 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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26 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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27 chasm | |
n.深坑,断层,裂口,大分岐,利害冲突 | |
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28 luxurious | |
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的 | |
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29 thermal | |
adj.热的,由热造成的;保暖的 | |
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30 brackish | |
adj.混有盐的;咸的 | |
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31 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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32 forage | |
n.(牛马的)饲料,粮草;v.搜寻,翻寻 | |
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33 exhaustion | |
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
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34 treacherous | |
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的 | |
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35 lurking | |
潜在 | |
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36 infested | |
adj.为患的,大批滋生的(常与with搭配)v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 );遍布于 | |
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37 caravan | |
n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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38 boulder | |
n.巨砾;卵石,圆石 | |
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39 consistency | |
n.一贯性,前后一致,稳定性;(液体的)浓度 | |
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40 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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41 regularity | |
n.规律性,规则性;匀称,整齐 | |
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42 picket | |
n.纠察队;警戒哨;v.设置纠察线;布置警卫 | |
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43 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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44 sentry | |
n.哨兵,警卫 | |
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45 trepidation | |
n.惊恐,惶恐 | |
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46 solaced | |
v.安慰,慰藉( solace的过去分词 ) | |
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47 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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48 assassination | |
n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
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49 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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50 awfully | |
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 | |
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51 exhaled | |
v.呼出,发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 );吐出(肺中的空气、烟等),呼气 | |
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52 zephyr | |
n.和风,微风 | |
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53 grilling | |
v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 );拷问,盘问 | |
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54 scoured | |
走遍(某地)搜寻(人或物)( scour的过去式和过去分词 ); (用力)刷; 擦净; 擦亮 | |
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55 pebbles | |
[复数]鹅卵石; 沙砾; 卵石,小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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56 slumbers | |
睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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57 clatter | |
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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58 hoofs | |
n.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.(兽的)蹄,马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59 instinctively | |
adv.本能地 | |
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60 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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61 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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62 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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63 inevitably | |
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 | |
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64 mules | |
骡( mule的名词复数 ); 拖鞋; 顽固的人; 越境运毒者 | |
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65 pickets | |
罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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66 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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67 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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68 distressing | |
a.使人痛苦的 | |
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69 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
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70 artery | |
n.干线,要道;动脉 | |
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71 mangled | |
vt.乱砍(mangle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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72 Portuguese | |
n.葡萄牙人;葡萄牙语 | |
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73 follower | |
n.跟随者;随员;门徒;信徒 | |
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74 frightful | |
adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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75 gash | |
v.深切,划开;n.(深长的)切(伤)口;裂缝 | |
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76 abdomen | |
n.腹,下腹(胸部到腿部的部分) | |
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77 intestines | |
n.肠( intestine的名词复数 ) | |
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78 protruding | |
v.(使某物)伸出,(使某物)突出( protrude的现在分词 );凸 | |
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79 slash | |
vi.大幅度削减;vt.猛砍,尖锐抨击,大幅减少;n.猛砍,斜线,长切口,衣衩 | |
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80 gorge | |
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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81 absconding | |
v.(尤指逃避逮捕)潜逃,逃跑( abscond的现在分词 ) | |
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82 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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83 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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84 followers | |
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
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85 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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86 firmament | |
n.苍穹;最高层 | |
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87 stony | |
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的 | |
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88 miscreants | |
n.恶棍,歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 ) | |
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89 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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90 unnatural | |
adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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91 diabolical | |
adj.恶魔似的,凶暴的 | |
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92 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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93 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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94 annually | |
adv.一年一次,每年 | |
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95 wan | |
(wide area network)广域网 | |
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96 atrocity | |
n.残暴,暴行 | |
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97 outrage | |
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒 | |
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98 plunder | |
vt.劫掠财物,掠夺;n.劫掠物,赃物;劫掠 | |
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99 ostrich | |
n.鸵鸟 | |
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100 plume | |
n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
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101 bracelet | |
n.手镯,臂镯 | |
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102 copper | |
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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103 adorn | |
vt.使美化,装饰 | |
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104 reeking | |
v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的现在分词 );散发臭气;发出难闻的气味 (of sth);明显带有(令人不快或生疑的跡象) | |
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105 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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106 retaliating | |
v.报复,反击( retaliate的现在分词 ) | |
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107 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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108 feud | |
n.长期不和;世仇;v.长期争斗;世代结仇 | |
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109 stark | |
adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地 | |
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110 consigned | |
v.把…置于(令人不快的境地)( consign的过去式和过去分词 );把…托付给;把…托人代售;丟弃 | |
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111 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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112 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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113 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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114 winding | |
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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115 recesses | |
n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 );(工作或业务活动的)中止或暂停期间;学校的课间休息;某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 );将(墙)做成凹形,在(墙)上做壁龛;休息,休会,休庭 | |
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116 cemeteries | |
n.(非教堂的)墓地,公墓( cemetery的名词复数 ) | |
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117 inaccessible | |
adj.达不到的,难接近的 | |
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118 partially | |
adv.部分地,从某些方面讲 | |
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119 funereal | |
adj.悲哀的;送葬的 | |
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120 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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121 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
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122 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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123 fiat | |
n.命令,法令,批准;vt.批准,颁布 | |
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124 undo | |
vt.解开,松开;取消,撤销 | |
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125 apprehended | |
逮捕,拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 ); 理解 | |
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126 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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127 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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128 savages | |
未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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129 concur | |
v.同意,意见一致,互助,同时发生 | |
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130 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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