The Approaches to Senegal.--The Balloon sinks lower and lower.--They keep throwing out, throwing out.--The Marabout Al-Hadji.--Messrs. Pascal, Vincent, and Lambert.--A Rival of Mohammed.--The Difficult Mountains.--Kennedy's Weapons.--One of Joe's Manoeuvres.--A Halt over a Forest.

On the 27th of May, at nine o'clock in the morning, the country presented an entirely¹ different aspect. The slopes, extending far away, changed to hills that gave evidence of mountains soon to follow. They would have to cross the chain which separates the basin of the Niger from the basin of the Senegal, and determines the course of the water-shed, whether to the Gulf² of Guinea on the one hand, or to the bay of Cape³ Verde on the other.

As far as Senegal, this part of Africa is marked down as dangerous. Dr. Ferguson knew it through the recitals⁴ of his predecessors⁵. They had suffered a thousand privations and been exposed to a thousand dangers in the midst of these barbarous negro tribes. It was this fatal climate that had devoured⁶ most of the companions of Mungo Park. Ferguson, therefore, was more than ever decided⁷ not to set foot in this inhospitable region.

But he had not enjoyed one moment of repose⁸. The Victoria was descending¹⁰ very perceptibly, so much so that he had to throw overboard a number more of useless articles, especially when there was a mountain-top to pass. Things went on thus for more than one hundred and twenty miles; they were worn out with ascending¹¹ and falling again; the balloon, like another rock of Sisyphus, kept continually sinking back toward the ground. The rotundity of the covering, which was now but little

点击收听单词发音  

1 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

4 recitals
n.独唱会( recital的名词复数 )；独奏会；小型音乐会、舞蹈表演会等；一系列事件等的详述
参考例句：
His recitals have earned him recognition as a talented performer. 他的演奏会使他赢得了天才演奏家的赞誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Her teachers love her playing, and encourage her to recitals. 她的老师欣赏她的演奏，并鼓励她举办独奏会。 来自互联网

5 predecessors
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身
参考例句：
The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 devoured
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光
参考例句：
She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志，还是报纸，只要能弄得到，她都看得津津有味。 The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。

7 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 repose
v.(使)休息；n.安息
参考例句：
Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。 Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

9 descend
vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降
参考例句：
I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。 We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

10 descending
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句：
The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。 The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

11 ascending
adj.上升的，向上的
参考例句：
Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

12 inflated
adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨
参考例句：
He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。 They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 collapsing
压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂
参考例句：
Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。 The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

14 elongated
v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Modigliani's women have strangely elongated faces. 莫迪里阿尼画中的妇女都长着奇长无比的脸。 A piece of rubber can be elongated by streching. 一块橡皮可以拉长。 来自《用法词典》

15 softened
（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰
参考例句：
His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。 The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

16 awning
n.遮阳篷；雨篷
参考例句：
A large green awning is set over the glass window to shelter against the sun.在玻璃窗上装了个绿色的大遮棚以遮挡阳光。 Several people herded under an awning to get out the shower.几个人聚集在门栅下避阵雨

17 extravagant
adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。 He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

18 detention
n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下
参考例句：
He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。 He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

19 hyenas
n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 )
参考例句：
These animals were the prey of hyenas. 这些动物是鬣狗的猎物。 来自辞典例句 We detest with horror the duplicity and villainy of the murderous hyenas of Bukharinite wreckers. 我们非常憎恨布哈林那帮两面三刀、杀人破坏，干尽坏事的豺狼。 来自辞典例句

20 pillage
v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物
参考例句：
The invading troops were guilty of rape and pillage.侵略军犯了抢劫和强奸的罪。 It was almost pillage.这简直是一场洗劫。

21 tributary
n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的
参考例句：
There was a tributary road near the end of the village.村的尽头有条岔道。 As the largest tributary of Jinsha river,Yalong river is abundant in hydropower resources.雅砻江是金沙江的最大支流，水力资源十分丰富。

22 hordes
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落
参考例句：
There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer. 夏天这里总有成群结队的游客。 Hordes of journalists jostled for position outside the conference hall. 大群记者在会堂外争抢位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 fanatics
狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The heathen temple was torn down by a crowd of religions fanatics. 异教徒的神殿被一群宗教狂热分子拆除了。 Placing nukes in the hands of baby-faced fanatics? 把核弹交给一些宗教狂热者手里？

24 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
参考例句：
We scoured the area for somewhere to pitch our tent. 我们四处查看，想找一个搭帐篷的地方。 The torrents scoured out a channel down the hill side. 急流沿着山腰冲刷出一条水沟。

25 pillaging
v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The rebels went looting and pillaging. 叛乱者趁火打劫，掠夺财物。 Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting. 士兵们横冲直撞，洗劫商店并且开枪射击。 来自辞典例句

26 northward
adv.向北；n.北方的地区
参考例句：
He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。 I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

27 ammunition
n.军火，弹药
参考例句：
A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。 They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

28 augment
vt.(使)增大，增加，增长，扩张
参考例句：
They hit upon another idea to augment their income.他们又想出一个增加收入的办法。 The government's first concern was to augment the army and auxiliary forces.政府首先关心的是增强军队和辅助的力量。

29 imminent
adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的
参考例句：
The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。 The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

30 peril
n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物
参考例句：
The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。 The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

31 accurately
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。 Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

32 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

33 barometer
n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标
参考例句：
The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。 The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

34 elevation
n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高
参考例句：
The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。 His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

35 cylinder
n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸
参考例句：
What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少？ The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。

36 pints
n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒
参考例句：
I drew off three pints of beer from the barrel. 我从酒桶里抽出三品脱啤酒。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Two pints today, please. 今天请来两品脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 piecemeal
adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块
参考例句：
A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignettes.叙述缺乏吸引力，读者读到的只是一些支离破碎的片段。 Let's settle the matter at one stroke,not piecemeal.把这事一气儿解决了吧，别零敲碎打了。

38 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

39 crest
n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖
参考例句：
The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。 He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

40 perpendicular
adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置
参考例句：
The two lines of bones are set perpendicular to one another.这两排骨头相互垂直。 The wall is out of the perpendicular.这墙有些倾斜。

41 ridge
n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭
参考例句：
We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。 The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

42 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

43 queried
v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问
参考例句：
She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》 \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

44 surmounted
战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上
参考例句：
She was well aware of the difficulties that had to be surmounted. 她很清楚必须克服哪些困难。 I think most of these obstacles can be surmounted. 我认为这些障碍大多数都是可以克服的。

45 extremity
n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度
参考例句：
I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。 What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

46 inevitably
adv.不可避免地；必然发生地
参考例句：
In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。 Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

47 agonized
v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦
参考例句：
All the time they agonized and prayed. 他们一直在忍受痛苦并且祈祷。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 She agonized herself with the thought of her loss. 她念念不忘自己的损失，深深陷入痛苦之中。 来自辞典例句

48 declivity
n.下坡，倾斜面
参考例句：
I looked frontage straightly,going declivity one by one.我两眼直视前方，一路下坡又下坡。 He had rolled down a declivity of twelve or fifteen feet.他是从十二尺或十五尺高的地方滚下来的。

49 glided
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔
参考例句：
The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。 They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

50 pebbles
[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。 Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

51 exulting
vi. 欢欣鼓舞，狂喜
参考例句：
He leaned back, exulting at the success of his plan. 他向后一靠，为自己计划成功而得意扬扬。 Jones was exulting in the consciousness of his integrity. 琼斯意识到自己的忠贞十分高兴。

52 rim
n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界
参考例句：
The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。 She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

53 hoisted
把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。 The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。

54 heartily
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。 The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

55 equilibrium
n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静
参考例句：
Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。 This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。

56 repugnance
n.嫌恶
参考例句：
He fought down a feelings of repugnance.他抑制住了厌恶感。 She had a repugnance to the person with whom she spoke.她看不惯这个和她谈话的人。

57 dangled
悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
Gold charms dangled from her bracelet. 她的手镯上挂着许多金饰物。 It's the biggest financial incentive ever dangled before British footballers. 这是历来对英国足球运动员的最大经济诱惑。