Distinguished1 like the houses of York and Lancaster by their respective colours, “the white house” of Débenik-Wóema, composed of various Ada?el clans2, who in time of need rally under one standard, is banded against the Assa-himéra, “the red house” of the Muda?to, with the same bitter feud4 and animosity which spread desolation through the fair domains5 of England, and poured out the best blood of her heroic sons. Well would it be for the cause of humanity were these savage6 combatants animated7 also with the same noble and chivalrous8 feelings which in days of yore reigned9 paramount10 in the breast of the British knight11, and met together only in the open field of honourable12 contest. But the case is widely different indeed; and under whatever circumstances the hated and hereditary13 foe14 may here be discovered, the unarmed bosom15 of the lone16, sleeping, or unsuspecting wanderer, rarely fails to prove a sheath for the murderous knife of the assassin.
Aussa, formerly17 an important town, was, less than a century ago, the capital and principal seat of the united tribes of Muda?to, who extend thence to Ras Billool, and are represented to be countless18 as the hairs of a Danákil head. Regarded as the seat of wisdom and learning, and governed in the latter days of its strength by Yoosuf Ali ibn Ajdáhis, a brave and martial19 sultán, whose armoury boasted of many matchlocks, and of several small pieces of cannon20, it long flourished in powerful independence—a bright spot of beauty in a waste of barrenness. But the sun of its prosperity at length set; and the predatory hostilities21 long exercised towards the various united tribes of Ada?el, leading to a general invasion on the part of the Ado-himéra, the prince was slain22, the stronghold of the “red house” sacked, and its garrison23 put to the sword: nor in these degenerate24 days is this once important place more than an extensive encampment, whereat is held a perpetual fair, frequented by all the tribes of Danákil, Eesah, Somauli, and Muda?to.
The site of Aussa, a wide-stretching valley, described to be from eight to ten days’ journey across for a caravan25, is hemmed26 in by lofty mountains, and fertilised in all its extended quarters by the Lakes Guraa?d, Abhibbab, Hilloo, and Dugód—the first situated27 a little to the eastward28 of the town, and the last by far the largest of the four. These vast stagnant29 basins in the plain receive the Abyssinian waters of the Háwash and its tributaries30, in addition to the contributions of all the streams from Jebel Oobnoo and other collateral31 ranges—the abundance of fluid thus lost upon volcanic32 formation, so enriching the soil as to enable this district to produce wheat, juwarree, barley33, Indian com, pepper, and tobacco, in quantities sufficient for the supply of the entire coast.
The Háwash may be conjectured34 to have experienced interruption in its course to the Bahr Assál and Bay of Tajúra, at the same period that volcanic agency divided the waters of the great Salt Lake from Goobut el Kharáb. Miles around the wonted boundaries of each lagoon35 now become annually36 inundated37 during the spreading of the great freshes; and, as the floods, carried off by absorption and evaporation38, again recede39, the soil is covered with a fertilising sediment—a fat alluvial40 deposit, which with little labour yields an ample return. Even the lazy and listless Danákil, who neither sows nor reaps elsewhere, is here induced to turn agriculturist; but not a single acre of ground in any direction is to be found under the plough from the sea even to the mountains of Abyssinia—a distance exceeding three hundred and fifty miles.
Pastoral as well as agricultural pursuits engage the population of Aussa; but whilst the cultivating portion of the inhabitants are permanent residents on the soil, the shepherds are annually driven away by the gad-fly, which attacks the flocks from the setting-in of the rainy season until the termination of the fast of Ramzan, when the waters have again subsided41, and the herdsman, descending42 from the mountains, returns to his occupation in the valley. An extensive commercial intercourse43 is moreover carried on with Tajúra. Salt from the Bahr Assál, blue calico, which is in high demand for the caps universally worn by the married Bedouin females, zinc44, pewter, and brass45 or copper46 wire, used both for personal ornament47, and for the decoration of weapons, are bartered48 for the produce of the luxuriant soil—some few caravans49 crossing the Háwash, and pursuing their journey along the western bank to Dowwé, on the frontier of the Wollo Galla, in order to purchase slaves; or striking into the main road at Amádoo, and so prosecuting50 their way to Shoa for a similar purpose.
Muda?to tribes occupy the entire plain of Aussa, but they are now divided into five distinct nations. The Assa-himéra are under the rule of Humferi, a descendant of the ancient house of Ajdáhis, who preserves the empty title of Sultán, and resides at the decayed capital. Eastward are the Issé-hirába, governed by Das Ali, an independent chief, and the Galeyla, under Daamer Ibrahim; south are the Dár, who own allegiance to Akil Digger Myárgi; and west are the ferocious51 Koorhá, under the sway of Yoosuf Aboo Bekr, who, also with the title of Akil, resides at Alta, and wages war indiscriminately on both Assa-himéra and Débenik-Wóema.
South-westward of the valley of Aussa are the independent Ada?el tribes Hurruk Boda?to, over whom presides Gobuz Elincha, a powerful chieftain, who has espoused52 Léni, daughter of Birru Lubo, the Prince of Argóbba, and through whose territories lies the high caravan route to Dowwé, with which the traffic is considerable. On the north, the Muda?to are bounded by the distinct nation styled Hírto, under the rule of Yingool Ali—Mohammadans, deriving54 their origin from the Arab invaders55 of the seventh century, and speaking a language not very dissimilar from the Ada?el, who claim the same descent.
Aussa is still the abode57 of all the Uleemas, Aukál, and learned doctors, for whom the Muda?to have ever been renowned58, but the present government is singularly constituted. The aged59 Sultán Humferi, son of Yoosuf Ali ibn Ajdáhis, has retained with his high-sounding title the mere60 shadow of authority, which is in truth vested in Mohammad Ali, the vicegerent of the Débenik-Wóema, appointed by general suffrage61 from Tajúra. Residing at Kulloo, and ruling with an iron hand, he admits of little interference; and, in all cases where disputes between the “red” and “white” houses of the proprietors62 of the soil and their invaders, terminate fatally to the latter, takes two lives for one, according to the immemorial observance in blood feuds63.
Ameer Sulaam, the Wuzír of the Muda?to, is head of all the sages64, and he is aided in the administration of justice by Hurrur Hássan, Téeoh, and Bérbera or “Pepper” Ali, the latter so styled from the volubility of his sarcastic65 tongue. This triumvirate of venerable sheikhs, whose wisdom and learning is reputed to be kum el báhr, “profound as the sea,” is referred to on all occasions where knotty66 points are at issue, whether amongst the Ado-himéra or Muda?to; and even the Sultán of Tajúra was on a late occasion held bound to abide67 by their arbitration68, relative to the projected marriage of his son to a bride from another clan3 of the “white house,” a measure which was resisted, and which he was desirous of enforcing. Yet a transit69 duty of fifty per cent, is levied70 by Mohammad ibn Mohammad upon all exports made by the Muda?to, whereas ten per cent, only is exacted from the numerous Danákil tribes.
“A large Arab force from Zeylá,” observed Ibrahim Shehém Abli, who was well versed71 in the chronicles of Aussa, “was induced to join the Débenik-Wóema in their invasion of the predatory Muda?to hordes72; and overtures73 of capitulation having been made by Yoosuf Ali ibn Ajdáhis, they were thrown off their guard. During the night the Wóema, who knew with what villains74 they had to deal, bivouacked upon the heights of Dugódlee and Hy Tunkóma, where they rested safely enough. But the blockheads of Arabs choosing to sleep in the plain, the garrison took advantage of their folly75 to make a goom: and so cleverly was it managed, that by Allah! they succeeded in drawing their creeses across the throats of all save one.”
Nothing intimidated76 by this reverse, and joined by fresh allies from the coast, the Wóema were not long in renewing the attack; and the whole of the Ada?el tribes who rally under the standard of “the white house,” making common cause, the Muda?to sustained a murderous defeat, when their stronghold, which had maintained its integrity unimpaired for so many centuries, fell at last into the hands of their hereditary foe.
A long term of years elapsed, but the hearts of the scions77 of the “red house” still rankled78 under this disaster; and, bent79 upon retaliation80, the assembled clans, designing to plunder81 the now decayed sea-port whence their Arab invaders had been furnished, made a rapid inroad into the country of the Eesah Somauli. Unprepared, the tribe fled before the host in dismay, but presently recovering from the panic created by the sudden burst of war, rallied in great numbers, fell furiously upon the foe, and left not one marauding Muda?to alive to tell the issue of the disastrous82 day. The “great battle,” as this signal rout53 is still termed, was about three years ago fought within sight of Zeyla, on the plains of Takoosha, now white with the skeletons of a tribe.
“Brave men are these Muda?to,” continued the old warrior83, playing carelessly with the hilt of his creese, which was seldom suffered to repose84 quietly in his girdle; “but they are not to be compared with us. Hamdu-lillah, ‘Praise be unto the Lord,’ I slew85 their sheikh with my own hand; and here is the identical scratch that I received in the scuffle. As for the Eesah,” he concluded, “with their childish bows and arrows, they are sad cowards. One Dankáli spear is an over-match for fifty of their best marksmen in a fair fight; and I have myself dealt single-handed with six, although the villains came like thieves in the dark.”
Ibrahim Shehém was requested to reconcile this character with the issue of the great battle just recounted, wherein the despised tribe had so signalised itself. “That,” quoth he of Tajúra, “was a dastardly surprise; and Wullah, had I been the invader56 with a handful of Danákil spearmen, there would have been another tale to tell.”
Bas Ali, late sheikh of the cultivating portion of the Aussa population, some years since made an attempt to restore the exclusive rule to the Muda?to, and to this end headed a conspiracy86 sworn upon the Korán to plough the field no more until the head of the Wóema vicegerent should be exalted87 upon a pole at the city gate, and his body have been cast out to the hyaenas. He was however waylaid88 and assassinated89 by Ibrahim Shehém Abli, who received a wound in the cheek. The numerous scars which adorned90 the diminutive91 person of this hero proclaimed him to have made one in many an affray; and, if his own account might be believed, all were honourably92 gained. Nevertheless the singular aversion that he displayed to passing certain watering-places in brood daylight, and his skulking93 port at Amádoo more especially, had tended not a little to confirm the disparaging94 anecdotes95 maliciously96 narrated97 by his compatriots, relative to the mode in which some of these much-prized distinctions had been acquired.
The veteran Ali Arab had sat in gloomy silence during the early part of the conversation, but his light wicker cap started to the apex99 of his bald crown as he rose in wrath100 at the last vaunting words of the son of the Débeni. “Heed not the empty boast of that braggart,” he exclaimed, with boiling indignation, forgetting his wonted taciturnity—“Brave as the lion’s whelp are the hardy101 children of Yemen, and but for the cowardly desertion of their false allies there would have been a different issue to the fell night at Aussa. Do the Wóema to this hour not pay tribute to Zeyla in acknowledgment of the assistance rendered? The event was written in the sealed volume of Fate. The decree of the Almighty102 was fulfilled. But lest you should have believed the disparaging statements of this vain-glorious scorner, I will even recount the misfortunes of a campaign fraught103 with sad disaster to my kindred.”
Uttering these words, he led the way to his enclosure, reared of bales of the most costly104 wares105 which had been committed to his tried integrity; and there, seated upon the rich shawls of Cachemire, or upon the choicest manufactures of the British loom98, the party, provided each with a tiny cup of most potent106 coffee, gave ear in silence to the old man’s tale, which in the two ensuing chapters shall be presented in the form that would appear best calculated to afford a picture of warfare107 in the Desert.
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1 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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2 clans | |
宗族( clan的名词复数 ); 氏族; 庞大的家族; 宗派 | |
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3 clan | |
n.氏族,部落,宗族,家族,宗派 | |
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4 feud | |
n.长期不和;世仇;v.长期争斗;世代结仇 | |
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5 domains | |
n.范围( domain的名词复数 );领域;版图;地产 | |
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6 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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7 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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8 chivalrous | |
adj.武士精神的;对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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9 reigned | |
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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10 paramount | |
a.最重要的,最高权力的 | |
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11 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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12 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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13 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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14 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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15 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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16 lone | |
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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17 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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18 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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19 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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20 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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21 hostilities | |
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事 | |
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22 slain | |
杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的过去分词 ); (slay的过去分词) | |
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23 garrison | |
n.卫戍部队;驻地,卫戍区;vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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24 degenerate | |
v.退步,堕落;adj.退步的,堕落的;n.堕落者 | |
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25 caravan | |
n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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26 hemmed | |
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围 | |
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27 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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28 eastward | |
adv.向东;adj.向东的;n.东方,东部 | |
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29 stagnant | |
adj.不流动的,停滞的,不景气的 | |
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30 tributaries | |
n. 支流 | |
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31 collateral | |
adj.平行的;旁系的;n.担保品 | |
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32 volcanic | |
adj.火山的;象火山的;由火山引起的 | |
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33 barley | |
n.大麦,大麦粒 | |
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34 conjectured | |
推测,猜测,猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35 lagoon | |
n.泻湖,咸水湖 | |
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36 annually | |
adv.一年一次,每年 | |
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37 inundated | |
v.淹没( inundate的过去式和过去分词 );(洪水般地)涌来;充满;给予或交予(太多事物)使难以应付 | |
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38 evaporation | |
n.蒸发,消失 | |
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39 recede | |
vi.退(去),渐渐远去;向后倾斜,缩进 | |
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40 alluvial | |
adj.冲积的;淤积的 | |
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41 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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42 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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43 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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44 zinc | |
n.锌;vt.在...上镀锌 | |
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45 brass | |
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 | |
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46 copper | |
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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47 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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48 bartered | |
v.作物物交换,以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 caravans | |
(可供居住的)拖车(通常由机动车拖行)( caravan的名词复数 ); 篷车; (穿过沙漠地带的)旅行队(如商队) | |
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50 prosecuting | |
检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 ); 对某人提起公诉; 继续从事(某事物); 担任控方律师 | |
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51 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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52 espoused | |
v.(决定)支持,拥护(目标、主张等)( espouse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 rout | |
n.溃退,溃败;v.击溃,打垮 | |
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54 deriving | |
v.得到( derive的现在分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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55 invaders | |
入侵者,侵略者,侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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56 invader | |
n.侵略者,侵犯者,入侵者 | |
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57 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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58 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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59 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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60 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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61 suffrage | |
n.投票,选举权,参政权 | |
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62 proprietors | |
n.所有人,业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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63 feuds | |
n.长期不和,世仇( feud的名词复数 ) | |
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64 sages | |
n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料) | |
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65 sarcastic | |
adj.讥讽的,讽刺的,嘲弄的 | |
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66 knotty | |
adj.有结的,多节的,多瘤的,棘手的 | |
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67 abide | |
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受 | |
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68 arbitration | |
n.调停,仲裁 | |
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69 transit | |
n.经过,运输;vt.穿越,旋转;vi.越过 | |
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70 levied | |
征(兵)( levy的过去式和过去分词 ); 索取; 发动(战争); 征税 | |
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71 versed | |
adj. 精通,熟练 | |
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72 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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73 overtures | |
n.主动的表示,提议;(向某人做出的)友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 );(歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的)序曲,前奏曲 | |
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74 villains | |
n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 );罪犯;(小说、戏剧等中的)反面人物;淘气鬼 | |
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75 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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76 intimidated | |
v.恐吓;威胁adj.害怕的;受到威胁的 | |
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77 scions | |
n.接穗,幼枝( scion的名词复数 );(尤指富家)子孙 | |
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78 rankled | |
v.(使)痛苦不已,(使)怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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80 retaliation | |
n.报复,反击 | |
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81 plunder | |
vt.劫掠财物,掠夺;n.劫掠物,赃物;劫掠 | |
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82 disastrous | |
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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83 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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84 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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85 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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86 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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87 exalted | |
adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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88 waylaid | |
v.拦截,拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89 assassinated | |
v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 );中伤;诋毁;破坏 | |
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90 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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91 diminutive | |
adj.小巧可爱的,小的 | |
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92 honourably | |
adv.可尊敬地,光荣地,体面地 | |
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93 skulking | |
v.潜伏,偷偷摸摸地走动,鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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94 disparaging | |
adj.轻蔑的,毁谤的v.轻视( disparage的现在分词 );贬低;批评;非难 | |
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95 anecdotes | |
n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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96 maliciously | |
adv.有敌意地 | |
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97 narrated | |
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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98 loom | |
n.织布机,织机;v.隐现,(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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99 apex | |
n.顶点,最高点 | |
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100 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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101 hardy | |
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 | |
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102 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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103 fraught | |
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的 | |
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104 costly | |
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的 | |
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105 wares | |
n. 货物, 商品 | |
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106 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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107 warfare | |
n.战争(状态);斗争;冲突 | |
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