It was Dick's general custom, as he lay to for a while in the afternoon, to go ashore4 in search of food, and as the manioc, maize5, and sorghum6 that were to be found were of a wild growth and consequently not fit for consumption, he was obliged to run the risk of using his gun. On the 4th of July he succeeded by a single shot in killing7 pokoo, a kind of antelope8 about five feet long, with annulated horns, a tawny9 skin dappled with bright spots, and a white belly10. The venison proved excellent, and was roasted over a fire procured11 by the primitive12 method, practised, it is said, even by gorillas13, of rubbing two sticks together.
In spite of these halts, and the time taken for the night's rest, the distance accomplished14 by the 8th could not be estimated at less than a hundred miles. The river, augmented15 by only a few insignificant16 tributaries17, had not materially increased in volume; its direction, however, had slightly changed more to the north-west. It afforded a very fair supply of fish, which were caught by lines made of the long stems of creepers furnished with thorns instead
of fish-hooks, a considerable proportion being the delicate sandjtkas, which when dried may be transported to any climate; besides these there were the black usakas, the wide-headed monndés, and occasionally the little dagalas, resembling Thames whitebait.
Next day, Dick met with an adventure that put all his courage and composure to the test. He had noticed the horns of a caama projecting above the brushwood, and went ashore alone with the intention of securing it. He succeeded in getting tolerably close to it and fired, but he was terribly startled when a formidable creature bounded along some thirty paces ahead, and took possession of the prey19 he had just wounded.
It was a majestic20 lion, at least five feet in height, of the kind called káramoo, in distinction to the maneless species known as the Nyassi-lion. Before Dick had time to reload, the huge brute21 had caught sight of him, and without relaxing its hold upon the writhing22 antelope beneath its claws, glared upon him fiercely. Dick's presence of mind did not forsake23 him; flight he knew was not to be thought of; his only chance he felt intuitively would be by keeping perfectly24 still; and aware that the beast would be unlikely to give up a struggling prey for another that was motionless, he stood face to face with his foe, not venturing to move an eyelid25. In a few minutes the lion's patience seemed to be exhausted26; with a grand stateliness, it picked up the caama as easily as a dog would lift a hare, turned round, and lashing27 the bushes with its tail, disappeared in the jungle.
It took Dick some little time to recover himself sufficiently28 to return to the canoe. On arriving, he said nothing of the peril29 to which he had been exposed, but heartily30 congratulated himself that they had means of transport without making their way through jungles and forests.
As they advanced, they repeatedly came across evidences that the country had not been always, as now it was, utterly31 devoid32 oi population; more than once, they observed traces which betokened33 the former existence of villages; either some ruined palisades or the débris of some thatched huts, or some solitary35 sacred tree within an enclosure would indicate that the death of a chief had, according to custom, made a native tribe migrate to new quarters.
If natives were still dwelling36 in the district, as was just probable, they must have been living underground, only emerging at night like beasts of prey, from which they were only a grade removed.
Dick Sands had every reason to feel convinced that cannibalism37 had been practised in the neighbourhood, Three times, as he was wandering in the forest, he had come upon piles of ashes and half-charred human bones, the remnants, no doubt, of a ghastly meal, and although he mentioned nothing of what he had seen to Mrs. Weldon, he made up his mind to go ashore as seldom as possible, and as often as he found it absolutely necessary to go, he gave Hercules strict directions to push off into mid-stream at the very first intimation of danger.
A new cause of anxiety arose on the following evening, and made it necessary for them to take the most guarded measures of precaution. The river-bed had widened out into a kind of lagoon38, and on the right side of this, built upon piles in the water, not only was there a collection of about thirty huts, but the fires gleaming under the thatch34, made it evident that they were all inhabited. Unfortunately the only channel of the stream flowed close under the huts, the river elsewhere being so obstructed39 with rocks that navigation of any kind was impossible. Nothing was more probable than that the natives would have set their nets all across the piles, and if so, the canoe would be sure to be obstructed, and an alarm must inevitably40 be raised. Every caution seemed to be unavailing, because the canoe must follow the stream; however, in the lowest of whispers Dick ordered Hercules to keep clear as much as he could of the worm-eaten timber. The night was not very dark, which was equally an advantage and a disadvantage, as while it permitted those on board to steer41 as they wanted, it did not prevent them from being seen.
The situation became more and more critical. About a hundred feet ahead, the channel was very contracted; two natives, gesticulating violently, were seen squatting42 on the pilework; a few moments more and their voices could be heard; it was obvious that they had seen the floating mass; apprehending43 that it was going to destroy their nets, they yelled aloud and shouted for assistance; instantly five or six negroes scrambled44 down the piles, and perched themselves upon the cross-beams.
On board the canoe the profoundest silence was maintained. Dick only signalled his directions to Hercules, without uttering a word, while Jack45 performed his part by holding Dingo's mouth tightly closed, to stop the low growlings which the faithful watch-dog seemed resolved to make; but fortunately every sound was overpowered by the rushing of the stream and the clamour of the negroes, as they hurriedly drew in their nets. If they should raise them in time, all might be well, but if, on the other hand, the canoe should get entangled46, the consequences could hardly fail to be disastrous47. The current in its narrow channel was so strong that Dick was powerless either to modify his course or to slacken it.
Half a minute more, and the canoe was right under the woodwork, but the efforts of the natives had already elevated the nets so that the anticipated danger was happily escaped; but it chanced that in making its way through the obstacle, a large piece of the grass-thatch got detached. One of the negroes raised a sudden shout of alarm, and it seemed only too probable that he had caught a sight of the travellers below and was informing his companions. This apprehension48, too, was only momentary49; the current had changed almost to a rapid, and carried the canoe along with such velocity50 that the lacustrine village was quickly out of sight.
"Steer to the left!" cried Dick, finding that the riverbed had again become clear.
A stiff pull at the tiller made the craft fly in that direction.
Dick went to the stern, and scanned the moonlit waters. All was perfectly still, no canoe was in pursuit; perhaps the natives had not one to use; but certain it was that
[Illustration: Instantly five or six negroes scrambled down the piles.]
when daylight dawned no vestige51 of an inhabitant was to be seen. Nevertheless Dick thought it prudent52 for a while to steer close under the shelter of the left-hand shore.
By the end of the next four days the aspect of the country had undergone a remarkable53 change, the jungle having given place to a desert as dreary54 as the Kalahari itself. The river appeared interminable, and it became a matter of serious consideration how to get a sufficiency of food. Fish was scarce, or at least hard to catch, and the arid55 soil provided no means of sustenance56 for antelopes57, so that nothing was to be gained from the chase. Carnivorous animals also had quite disappeared, and the silence of the night was broken, not by the roar of wild beasts, but by the croaking58 of frogs in a discordant59 chorus, which Cameron has compared to the clanking of hammers and the grating of files in a ship-builder's yard.
Far away both to the east and west the outlines of hills could be faintly discerned, but the shores on either hand were perfectly flat and devoid of trees. Euphorbias, it is true, grew in considerable numbers, but as they were only of the oil-producing species, and not the kind from which cassava or manioc is procured, they were useless in an alimentary60 point of view.
Dick was becoming more and more perplexed61, when Hercules happened to mention that the natives often eat young fern-fronds and the pith of the papyrus62, and that before now he had himself been reduced to the necessity of subsisting63 on nothing better.
"We must try them," said Dick.
Both ferns and papyrus abounded on the banks, and a meal was prepared, the sweet soft pith of the papyrus being found very palatable64. Jack in particular appeared to enjoy it extremely, but it was not in any way a satisfying diet.
Thanks to Cousin Benedict, a fresh variety in the matter of food was found on the following day. Since the discovery of the "Hexapodes Benedictus" he had recovered his spirits, and, having fastened his prize safely inside his hat, he wandered about, as often as he had a chance, in his favourite pursuit of insect-hunting. As he was rummaging65 in the long grass, he put up a bird which flew but a very short distance. Benedict recognized it by its peculiar66 note, and, seeing Dick take his gun to aim at it, exclaimed,-
"Don't fire, don't fire! that bird will be worth nothing for food among five of us."
"It will be dinner enough for Jack," said Dick, who, finding that the bird did not seem in a hurry to make its escape, delayed his shot for a moment, without intending to be diverted from his purpose of securing it.
"You mustn't fire," insisted Benedict, "it is an indicator67; it will show you where there are lots of honey."
Aware that a few pounds of honey would really be of more value than a little bird, Dick lowered his gun, and in company with the entomologist set off to follow the indicator, which seemed, by alternately flying and stopping, to be inviting68 them to come on, and they had but a little way to go before they observed several swarms69 of bees buzzing around some old stems hidden amongst the euphorbias. Notwithstanding Benedict's remonstrances72 against depriving the bees of the fruits of their industry, Dick instantly set to work, and without remorse73 suffocated74 them by burning dry grass underneath75. Having secured a good amount of honey, he left the comb to the indicator as its share of the booty, and went back with his companion to the canoe.
Next day it happened that they had just stopped for their accustomed rest, when they observed that an enormous swarm70 of grasshoppers77 had settled at the mouth of a creek78 close by. Two or three deep they covered the soil, myriads79 and myriads of them adhering to every shrub80.
"The natives eat those grasshoppers," said Benedict, "and like them too."
The remark produced an instant effect; all hands were busied in collecting them, and a large supply was quickly gathered: the canoe might have been filled ten times over.
Grilled81 over a slow fire, they were found to be very palatable eating, and, spite of his qualms82 of conscience, Benedict himself made a hearty83 meal.
But although the gnawings of absolute hunger were thus assuaged84, all the travellers began to long most anxiously for the voyage to come to an end. The mode of transit85 indeed might be less exhausting to the bodily powers than a land march would have been, but the excessive heat by day, the damp mists at night, and the incessant86 attacks of mosquitoes, all combined to render the passage extremely trying. There was no telling how long it would last, and Dick was equally uncertain whether it might end in a few days, or be protracted87 for a month. The direction which the stream was taking was itself a subject of perplexity.
A fresh surprise was now in store.
As Jack, a few mornings afterwards, was standing71 at the bow peering through an aperture88 in the grass canopy89 above him, he suddenly turned round and cried,-
"The sea! the sea!"
Dick started forwards, and looked eagerly in the same direction.
A large expanse of water was visible in the horizon, but after having surveyed it for a moment or two, he said,-
"No, Jack, it is not the sea, it is a great river; it is running west, and I suppose this river runs into it. Perhaps it is the Zaire."
"Let us hope it is," said Mrs. Weldon earnestly.
Most cordially did Dick Sands re-echo her words, being well aware that at the mouth of that river were Portuguese90 villages, where a refuge might assuredly be found.
For several succeeding days the canoe, still concealed91 by its covering, floated on the silvery surface of this new-found stream. On either side the banks became less arid, and there seemed everything to encourage the few survivors92 of the "Pilgrim" to believe that they would soon see the last of the perils93 and toils94 of their journey.
They were too sanguine95. Towards three o'clock on the morning of the 18th, Dick, who was at his usual post at the bow, fancied he heard a dull rumbling96 towards the west. Mrs. Weldon, Jack, and Benedict were all asleep. Calling Hercules to him, he asked him whether he could not hear a strange noise. The night was perfectly calm, and not a breath of air was stirring. The negro listened attentively97, and suddenly, his eyes sparkling with delight, exclaimed,-
"Yes, captain, I hear the sea!"
Dick shook his head and answered,-
"It is not the sea, Hercules."
"Not the sea!" cried the negro, "then what can it be?"
"We must wait till daybreak," replied Dick, "and meanwhile we shall have to keep a sharp look-out."
Hercules returned to his place, but only to continue listening with ever-increasing curiosity. The rumbling perceptibly increased till it became a continued roar.
With scarcely any intervening twilight98 night passed into day. Just in front, scarcely more than half a mile ahead, a great mist was hanging over the river; it was not an ordinary fog, and when the sun rose, the light of the dawn caused a brilliant rainbow to arch itself from shore to shore.
In a voice so loud that it awoke Mrs. Weldon, Dick gave his order to Hercules to steer for the bank:-
And so it was. Within little more than a quarter of a mile the bed of the river sank abruptly100 some hundred feet, and the foaming101 waters rushed down in a magnificent fall with irresistible102 velocity. A few minutes more and the canoe must have been swallowed in the deep abyss.
点击收听单词发音
1 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
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2 abounded | |
v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 leopards | |
n.豹( leopard的名词复数 );本性难移 | |
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4 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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5 maize | |
n.玉米 | |
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6 sorghum | |
n.高粱属的植物,高粱糖浆,甜得发腻的东西 | |
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7 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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8 antelope | |
n.羚羊;羚羊皮 | |
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9 tawny | |
adj.茶色的,黄褐色的;n.黄褐色 | |
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10 belly | |
n.肚子,腹部;(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分,膛 | |
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11 procured | |
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 );拉皮条 | |
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12 primitive | |
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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13 gorillas | |
n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 );暴徒,打手 | |
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14 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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15 Augmented | |
adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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16 insignificant | |
adj.无关紧要的,可忽略的,无意义的 | |
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17 tributaries | |
n. 支流 | |
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18 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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19 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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20 majestic | |
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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21 brute | |
n.野兽,兽性 | |
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22 writhing | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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23 forsake | |
vt.遗弃,抛弃;舍弃,放弃 | |
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24 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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25 eyelid | |
n.眼睑,眼皮 | |
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26 exhausted | |
adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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27 lashing | |
n.鞭打;痛斥;大量;许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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28 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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29 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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30 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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31 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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32 devoid | |
adj.全无的,缺乏的 | |
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33 betokened | |
v.预示,表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 thatch | |
vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部;n.茅草(屋) | |
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35 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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36 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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37 cannibalism | |
n.同类相食;吃人肉 | |
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38 lagoon | |
n.泻湖,咸水湖 | |
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39 obstructed | |
阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 ); 堵塞; 阻碍; 阻止 | |
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40 inevitably | |
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 | |
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41 steer | |
vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶 | |
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42 squatting | |
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 );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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43 apprehending | |
逮捕,拘押( apprehend的现在分词 ); 理解 | |
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44 scrambled | |
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞 | |
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45 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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46 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47 disastrous | |
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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48 apprehension | |
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑 | |
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49 momentary | |
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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50 velocity | |
n.速度,速率 | |
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51 vestige | |
n.痕迹,遗迹,残余 | |
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52 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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53 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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54 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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55 arid | |
adj.干旱的;(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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56 sustenance | |
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计 | |
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57 antelopes | |
羚羊( antelope的名词复数 ); 羚羊皮革 | |
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58 croaking | |
v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 );用粗的声音说 | |
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59 discordant | |
adj.不调和的 | |
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60 alimentary | |
adj.饮食的,营养的 | |
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61 perplexed | |
adj.不知所措的 | |
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62 papyrus | |
n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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63 subsisting | |
v.(靠很少的钱或食物)维持生活,生存下去( subsist的现在分词 ) | |
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64 palatable | |
adj.可口的,美味的;惬意的 | |
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65 rummaging | |
翻找,搜寻( rummage的现在分词 ); 海关检查 | |
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66 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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67 indicator | |
n.指标;指示物,指示者;指示器 | |
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68 inviting | |
adj.诱人的,引人注目的 | |
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69 swarms | |
蜂群,一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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70 swarm | |
n.(昆虫)等一大群;vi.成群飞舞;蜂拥而入 | |
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71 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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72 remonstrances | |
n.抱怨,抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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73 remorse | |
n.痛恨,悔恨,自责 | |
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74 suffocated | |
(使某人)窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 ); (将某人)闷死; 让人感觉闷热; 憋气 | |
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75 underneath | |
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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76 alleviate | |
v.减轻,缓和,缓解(痛苦等) | |
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77 grasshoppers | |
n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 );蝗虫;蚂蚱;(孩子)矮小的 | |
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78 creek | |
n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
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79 myriads | |
n.无数,极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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80 shrub | |
n.灌木,灌木丛 | |
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81 grilled | |
adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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82 qualms | |
n.不安;内疚 | |
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83 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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84 assuaged | |
v.减轻( assuage的过去式和过去分词 );缓和;平息;使安静 | |
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85 transit | |
n.经过,运输;vt.穿越,旋转;vi.越过 | |
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86 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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87 protracted | |
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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88 aperture | |
n.孔,隙,窄的缺口 | |
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89 canopy | |
n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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90 Portuguese | |
n.葡萄牙人;葡萄牙语 | |
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91 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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92 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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93 perils | |
极大危险( peril的名词复数 ); 危险的事(或环境) | |
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94 toils | |
网 | |
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95 sanguine | |
adj.充满希望的,乐观的,血红色的 | |
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96 rumbling | |
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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97 attentively | |
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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98 twilight | |
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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99 cataracts | |
n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 );白内障 | |
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100 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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101 foaming | |
adj.布满泡沫的;发泡 | |
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102 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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