Camp was made among the trees of an elevated bank above a small brook1.
Already the Indian women had pitched the shelters, spreading squares of canvas, strips of birch-bark or tanned skins over roughly improvised2 lean-to poles. A half dozen tiny fires, too, they had built, over which some were at the moment engaged in hanging as many kettles. Several of the younger women were cleaning fish and threading them on switches. Others brought in the small twigs3 for fuel. Among them could be seen May-may-gwán, the young Ojibway girl, gliding5 here and there, eyes downcast, inexpressibly graceful6 in contrast with the Crees.
At once on landing the men took up their share of the work. Like the birds of the air and the beasts of the wood their first thoughts turned to the assurance of food. Two young fellows stretched a gill-net across the mouth of the creek7. Others scattered9 in search of favourable10 spots in which to set the musk-rat traps, to hang snares11 for rabbits and grouse12.
Soon the camp took on the air of age, of long establishment, that is so suddenly to be won in the forest. The kettles began to bubble; the impaled13 fish to turn brown. A delicious odour of open-air cooking permeated14 the air. Men filled pipes and smoked in contemplation; children warmed themselves as near the tiny fires as they dared. Out of the dense15 blackness of the forest from time to time staggered what at first looked to be an uncouth16 and misshapen monster, but which presently resolved itself into an Indian leaning under a burden of spruce-boughs, so smoothly17 laid along the haft of a long forked stick that the bearer of the burden could sling18 it across his shoulder like a bale of hay. As he threw it to the ground, a delicate spice-like aroma19 disengaged itself to mingle20 with the smell of cooking. Just at the edge of camp sat the wolf-dogs, their yellow eyes gleaming, waiting in patience for their tardy21 share.
After the meal the women drew apart. Dick's eyes roved in vain, seeking a glimpse of the Ojibway girl. He was too familiar with Indian etiquette22 to make an advance, and in fact his interest was but languidly aroused.
The men sat about the larger fire smoking. It was the hour of relaxation23. In the blaze their handsome or strong-lined brown faces lighted good-humouredly. They talked and laughed in low tones, the long syllables24 of their language lisping and hissing25 in strange analogy to the noises of the fire or the forest or the rapids or some other natural thing. Their speech was of the chances of the woods and the approaching visit to their Ojibway brothers in the south. For this they had brought their grand ceremonial robes of deerskin, now stowed securely in bags. The white men were silent. In a little while the pipes were finished. The camp was asleep. Through the ashes and the embers prowled the wolf-dogs, but half-fed, seeking scraps26. Soon they took to the beach in search of cast-up fish. There they wandered all night long under the moon voicing their immemorial wrongs to the silenced forest.
Almost at first streak27 of dawn the women were abroad. Shortly after, the men visited their traps and lifted the nets. In this land and season of plenty the catch had been good. The snares had strangled three hares; the steel traps had caught five muskrats28, which are very good eating in spite of their appearance; the net had intercepted29 a number of pickerel, suckers, and river whitefish. This, with the meat of the caribou30, shot by Three Fingers the day before, and the supplies brought from the Post, made ample provision.
Nevertheless, when the camp had been struck and the canoes loaded, the order of march was reversed. Now the men took the lead by a good margin31, and the women and children followed. For in the wooded country game drinks early.
Before setting out, however, old Haukemah blazed a fair clean place on a fir-tree, and with hard charcoal32 from the fire marked on it these characters:
"Can you read Injun writin'?" asked Dick. "I can't."
"Yes," replied Sam, "learned her when I was snowed up one winter with Scar-Face down by the Burwash Lake country." He squinted33 his eyes, reading the syllables slowly.
"'Abichi-kā-menót Moosamík-kā-jā yank. Missowā edookan owāsi sek negi--' Why, it's Ojibway, not Cree," he exclaimed. "They're just leaving a record. 'Good journey from Moose Factory. Big game has been seen.' Funny how plumb34 curious an Injun is. They ain't one could come along here and see th' signs of this camp and rest easy 'till he'd figgered out how many they were, and where they were going, and what they were doing, and all about it. These records are a kind-hearted try to save other Injuns that come along a whole lot of trouble. That's why old Haukemah wrote it in Ojibway 'stead of Cree: this is by rights Ojibway country."
"We'd better pike out, if we don't want to get back with th' squaws," suggested Dick.
About two hours before noon, while the men's squadron was paddling slowly along a flat bank overgrown with grass and bushes, Dick and Sam perceived a sudden excitement in the leading canoes. Haukemah stopped, then cautiously backed until well behind the screen of the point. The other canoes followed his example. In a moment they were all headed down stream, creeping along noiselessly without lifting their paddles from the water.
"They've seen some game beyant the point," whispered Dick. "Wonder what it is?"
But instead of pausing when out of earshot for the purpose of uncasing the guns or landing a stalking party, the Indians crept, gradually from the shore, caught the current, and shot away down stream in the direction from which they had come.
"It's a bear," said Sam, quietly. "They've gone to get their war-paint on."
The men rested the bow of their canoe lightly against the shore, and waited. In a short time the Indian canoes reappeared.
"Say, they've surely got th' dry goods!" commented Dick, amused.
In the short interval35 that had elapsed, the Indians had intercepted their women, unpacked36 their baggage, and arrayed themselves in their finest dress of ceremony. Buckskin elaborately embroidered37 with beads38 and silks in the flower pattern, ornaments39 of brass40 and silver, sacred skins of the beaver41, broad dashes of ochre and vermilion on the naked skin, twisted streamers of coloured wool--all added to the barbaric gorgeousness of the old-time savage42 in his native state. Each bowsman carried a long brass-bound forty-five "trade-gun," warranted to kill up to ten yards.
"It's surely a nifty outfit43!" commented Sam, half admiringly.
A half dozen of the younger men were landed. At once they disappeared in the underbrush. Although the two white men strained their keen senses they were unable to distinguish by sight or sound the progress of the party through the bushes.
"I guess they're hunters, all right," conceded Dick.
The other men waited like bronze statues. After a long interval a pine-warbler uttered its lisping note. Immediately the paddles dipped in the silent deer-stalker's stroke, and the cavalcade44 crept forward around the point.
Dick swept the shore with his eye, but saw nothing. Then all heard plainly a half-smothered grunt46 of satisfaction, followed by a deep drawn47 breath. Phantom-like, without apparently48 the slightest directing motion, the bows of the canoes swung like wind-vanes to point toward a little heap of driftlogs under the shadow of an elder bush. The bear was wallowing in the cool, wet sand, and evidently enjoying it. A moment later he stuck his head over the pile of driftwood, and indulged in a leisurely49 survey of the river.
His eye was introspective, vacant, his mouth was half open, and his tongue lolled out so comically that Dick almost laughed aloud. No one moved by so much as a hand's breadth. The bear dropped back to his cooling sand with a sigh of voluptuous50 pleasure. The canoes drew a little nearer.
Now old Haukemah rose to his height in the bow of his canoe, and began to speak rapidly in a low voice. Immediately the animal bobbed into sight again, his wicked little eyes snapping with intelligence. It took him some moments to determine what these motionless, bright-coloured objects might be. Then he turned toward the land, but stopped short as his awakened51 senses brought him the reek8 of the young men who had hemmed52 in his shoreward escape. He was not yet thoroughly53 alarmed, so stood there swaying uneasily back and forth54, after the manner of bears, while Haukemah spoke55 swiftly in the soft Cree tongue.
"Oh, makwá, our little brother," he said, "we come to you not in anger, nor in disrespect. We come to do you a kindness. Here is hunger and cold and enemies. In the Afterland is only happiness. So if we shoot you, oh makwá, our little brother, be not angry with us."
He raised his trade-gun and pulled the trigger. A scattering56 volley broke from the other canoes and from the young men concealed57 in the bushes.
Now a trade-gun is a gun meant to trade. It is a section of what looks to be gas-pipe, bound by brass bands to a long, clumsy, wooden stick that extends within an inch of the end of the barrel. It is supposed to shoot ball or shot. As a matter of fact the marksman's success depends more on his luck than his skill. Were it not for the Woods-Indian's extraordinary powers of still-hunting so that he can generally approach very near to his game, his success would be small indeed.
With the shock of a dozen little bullets the bear went down, snarling58 and biting and scattering the sand, but was immediately afoot again. A black bear is not a particularly dangerous beast in ordinary circumstances--but occasionally he contributes quite a surprise to the experience of those who encounter him. This bear was badly wounded and cruelly frightened. His keen sense of smell informed him that the bushes contained enemies--how many he did not know, but they were concealed, unknown, and therefore dreadful. In front of him was something definite. Before the astonished Indians could back water, he had dashed into the shallows, and planted his paws on the bow of old Haukemah's canoe.
A simultaneous cry of alarm burst from the other Indians. Some began frantically59 to recharge their muzzle-loading trade-guns; others dashed toward the spot as rapidly as paddle or moccasin could bring them. Haukemah himself roused valiantly60 to the defence, but was promptly61 upset and pounced62 upon by the enraged63 animal. A smother45 of spray enveloped64 the scene. Dick Herron rose suddenly to his feet and shot. The bear collapsed65 into the muddied water, his head doubled under, a thin stream of arterial blood stringing away down the current. Haukemah and his steersman rose dripping. A short pause of silence ensued.
"Well, you are a wonder!" ejaculated Sam Bolton at last. "How in thunder did you do that? I couldn't make nothing out of _that_ tangle--at least nothing clear enough to shoot at!"
"Luck," replied Dick, briefly66. "I took a snap shot, and happened to make it."
"You ran mighty67 big chances of winning old Haukemah," objected Sam.
"Sure! But I didn't," answered Dick, conclusively68.
The Indians gathered to examine in respectful admiration69. Dick's bullet had passed from ear to ear. To them it was wonderful shooting, as indeed it would have been had it indicated anything but the most reckless luck. Haukemah was somewhat disgusted at the wetting of his finery, but the bear is a sacred animal, and even ceremonial dress and an explanation of the motives70 that demanded his death might not be sufficient to appease71 his divinity. The women's squadron appeared about the bend, and added their cries of rejoicing to those of their husbands and brothers.
The beautiful buckskin garments were hastily exchanged for ordinary apparel. By dint72 of much wading73, tugging74, and rolling the carcass was teased to the dry beach. There the body was securely anchored by the paws to small trees, and the work of skinning and butchering began.
Not a shred75 was wasted. Whatever flesh would not be consumed within a few days they cut into very thin strips and hung across poles to dry. Scraps went to the dogs, who were for once well fed. Three of the older squaws went to work with bone scrapers to tan the hide. In this season, while the fur was not as long as it would be later, it was fine and new. The other squaws pitched camp. No right-minded Indian would dream of travelling further with such a feast in prospect76.
While these things were preparing, the older men cleaned and washed the bear's skull77 very carefully. Then they cut a tall pole, on the end of which they fastened the skull, and finished by planting the whole affair securely near the running water. When the skull should have remained there for the space of twelve moons, the sacred spirit of the departed beast would be appeased78. For that reason Haukemah would not here leave his customary hieroglyphic79 record when he should break camp. If an enemy should happen along, he could do harm to Haukemah simply by overturning the trophy80, whereas an unidentified skull might belong to a friend, and so would be let alone on the chance. For that reason, too, when they broke camp the following day, the expert trailers took pains to obliterate81 the more characteristic indications of their stay.
Now abruptly82 the weather changed. The sky became overcast83 with low, gray clouds hurrying from the northwest. It grew cold. After a few hours of indecision it began to rain, dashing the chill water in savage gusts84. Amidships in each canoe the household goods were protected carefully by means of the wigwam covers, but the people themselves sat patiently, exposed to the force of the storm. Water streamed from their hair, over their high cheeks, to drip upon their already sodden85 clothing. The buckskin of their moccasins sucked water like so many sponges. They stepped indifferently in and out of the river,--for as to their legs, necessarily much exposed, they could get no wetter--and it was very cold. Whenever they landed the grass and bushes completed the soaking. By night each and every member of the band, including the two white men, were as wet as though they had plunged86 over-head in the stream. Only there was this difference: river-water could have been warmed gradually by the contact of woolen88 clothes with the body, but the chill of rain-water was constantly renewed.
Nor was there much comfort in the prospect when, weary and cold, they finally drew their canoes ashore89 for the evening's camp. The forest was dripping, the ground soggy, each separate twig4 and branch cold and slippery to the hand. The accumulated water of a day showered down at the slightest movement. A damp wind seemed to rise from the earth itself.
Half measures or timid shrinkings would not do. Every one had to plunge87 boldly into the woods, had to seize and drag forth, at whatever cost of shower-bath the wilderness90 might levy91, all the dead wood he could find. Then the value of the birch-bark envelope about the powdery touch-wood became evident. The fire, at first small and steamy, grew each instant. Soon a dozen little blazes sprang up, only to be extinguished as soon as they had partially92 dried the site of wigwams. Hot tea was swallowed gratefully, duffel hung before the flames. Nobody dried completely, but everybody steamed, and even in the pouring rain this little warmth was comfort by force of contrast. The sleeping blankets were damp, the clothes were damp, the ground was damp, the air was damp; but, after all, discomfort93 is a little thing and a temporary, and can be borne. In the retrospect94 it is nothing at all. Such is the indian's philosophy, and that is why in a rain he generally travels instead of lying in camp.
The storm lasted four days. Then the wind shifted to the north, bringing clearing skies.
Up to now the river had been swift in places, but always by dint of tracking or poling the canoes had been forced against the quick water. Early one forenoon, however, Haukemah lifted carefully the bow of his canoe and slid it up the bank.
1 brook | |
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让 | |
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2 improvised | |
a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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3 twigs | |
细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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4 twig | |
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
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5 gliding | |
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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6 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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7 creek | |
n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
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8 reek | |
v.发出臭气;n.恶臭 | |
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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 favourable | |
adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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11 snares | |
n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 );圈套;诱人遭受失败(丢脸、损失等)的东西;诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉,诱陷,陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12 grouse | |
n.松鸡;v.牢骚,诉苦 | |
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13 impaled | |
钉在尖桩上( impale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14 permeated | |
弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 ); 遍布; 渗入; 渗透 | |
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15 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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16 uncouth | |
adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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17 smoothly | |
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
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18 sling | |
vt.扔;悬挂;n.挂带;吊索,吊兜;弹弓 | |
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19 aroma | |
n.香气,芬芳,芳香 | |
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20 mingle | |
vt.使混合,使相混;vi.混合起来;相交往 | |
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21 tardy | |
adj.缓慢的,迟缓的 | |
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22 etiquette | |
n.礼仪,礼节;规矩 | |
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23 relaxation | |
n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐 | |
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24 syllables | |
n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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25 hissing | |
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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26 scraps | |
油渣 | |
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27 streak | |
n.条理,斑纹,倾向,少许,痕迹;v.加条纹,变成条纹,奔驰,快速移动 | |
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28 muskrats | |
n.麝鼠(产于北美,毛皮珍贵)( muskrat的名词复数 ) | |
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29 intercepted | |
拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 ); 截住; 截击; 拦阻 | |
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30 caribou | |
n.北美驯鹿 | |
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31 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
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32 charcoal | |
n.炭,木炭,生物炭 | |
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33 squinted | |
斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 ); 眯着眼睛; 瞟; 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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34 plumb | |
adv.精确地,完全地;v.了解意义,测水深 | |
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35 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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36 unpacked | |
v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等) | |
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37 embroidered | |
adj.绣花的 | |
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38 beads | |
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链 | |
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39 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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40 brass | |
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 | |
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41 beaver | |
n.海狸,河狸 | |
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42 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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43 outfit | |
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装 | |
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44 cavalcade | |
n.车队等的行列 | |
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45 smother | |
vt./vi.使窒息;抑制;闷死;n.浓烟;窒息 | |
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46 grunt | |
v.嘟哝;作呼噜声;n.呼噜声,嘟哝 | |
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47 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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48 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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49 leisurely | |
adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
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50 voluptuous | |
adj.肉欲的,骄奢淫逸的 | |
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51 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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52 hemmed | |
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围 | |
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53 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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54 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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55 spoke | |
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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56 scattering | |
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散 | |
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57 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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58 snarling | |
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的现在分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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59 frantically | |
ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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60 valiantly | |
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳 | |
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61 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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62 pounced | |
v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 );猛扑;一眼看出;抓住机会(进行抨击) | |
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63 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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64 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65 collapsed | |
adj.倒塌的 | |
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66 briefly | |
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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67 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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68 conclusively | |
adv.令人信服地,确凿地 | |
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69 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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70 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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71 appease | |
v.安抚,缓和,平息,满足 | |
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72 dint | |
n.由于,靠;凹坑 | |
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73 wading | |
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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74 tugging | |
n.牵引感v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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75 shred | |
v.撕成碎片,变成碎片;n.碎布条,细片,些少 | |
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76 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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77 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
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78 appeased | |
安抚,抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 ); 绥靖(满足另一国的要求以避免战争) | |
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79 hieroglyphic | |
n.象形文字 | |
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80 trophy | |
n.优胜旗,奖品,奖杯,战胜品,纪念品 | |
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81 obliterate | |
v.擦去,涂抹,去掉...痕迹,消失,除去 | |
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82 abruptly | |
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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83 overcast | |
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
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84 gusts | |
一阵强风( gust的名词复数 ); (怒、笑等的)爆发; (感情的)迸发; 发作 | |
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85 sodden | |
adj.浑身湿透的;v.使浸透;使呆头呆脑 | |
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86 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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87 plunge | |
v.跳入,(使)投入,(使)陷入;猛冲 | |
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88 woolen | |
adj.羊毛(制)的;毛纺的 | |
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89 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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90 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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91 levy | |
n.征收税或其他款项,征收额 | |
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92 partially | |
adv.部分地,从某些方面讲 | |
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93 discomfort | |
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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94 retrospect | |
n.回顾,追溯;v.回顾,回想,追溯 | |
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