By this time, they're making a mile or two per day. On the seventh of August, they cross Braddock's Road at 189 miles and 69 Chains. Thirty-two Chains further on, they cross the Road a second Time. The next Day, a Mile and 35 Chains beyond that, they cross it a Third Time.
"I'm not content with this, Dixon, not at all."
Three agents for Philadelphia land-speculating Interests are said to be out here this summer, scouting¹ real estate,— Harris, Wallace, and Friggs. The Metropolitan² cabal³ back there, 'tis said, goes upon the hope of the next Purchase of the Indians, of as much trans-Alleghenian Land as possible. The settlers having been serv'd Eviction⁴ Notices last year by Capt. Mackay and the Highland⁵ Forty-second, and withal Surveying itself about to be proclaim'd a Crime,— fifty Pounds' fine and three months in Jail,— these Gentlemen suppose they may take over the Rights out here for virtually nothing.
"Three months for Surveying!" Mason marvels⁷. "And if someone's been doing it all his Life? A-and think of the Money! Is that fifty Pounds per Act of surveying? Per Diem, perhaps?"
"Thankee, Friend Mason."
Before crossing the Big Yochio Geni, in the evening after Mess, the Surveyors gather all who've follow'd the Party undaunted this far.
"Now like Prospero must I conjure⁹ you all away, for from here to the Warpath, we'll have no time for gentle recreations, but must stand Watch and Watch for as far west as we may.”
"Whah',— no musicians? The Indians love our Musick."
"The Indians will need their Ears for other Tasks."
"We must go back to that Fort, then."
"We'll wait for them at Cumberland."
"A long way, sister. So far we've enjoy'd an Escort of Mohawk fighters, best in the Land. Who'll be protecting us on the way back?"
"Might get lucky and hook up with a band of Axmen headed home?"

点击收听单词发音  

1 scouting
守候活动，童子军的活动
参考例句：
I have people scouting the hills already. 我已经让人搜过那些山了。 Perhaps also from the Gospel it passed into the tradition of scouting. 也许又从《福音书》传入守望的传统。 来自演讲部分

2 metropolitan
adj.大城市的，大都会的
参考例句：
Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。 Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

3 cabal
n.政治阴谋小集团
参考例句：
He had been chosen by a secret government cabal.他已被一个秘密的政府阴谋集团选中。 The illegal aspects of the cabal's governance are glaring and ubiquitous.黑暗势力的非法统治是显而易见的并无处不在。

4 eviction
n.租地等的收回
参考例句：
The family have won a temporary reprieve from eviction.这个家庭暂时免于被逐出。 He claimed damages for unlawful eviction.他要求对非法驱逐作出赔偿。

5 highland
n.(pl.)高地，山地
参考例句：
The highland game is part of Scotland's cultural heritage.苏格兰高地游戏是苏格兰文化遗产的一部分。 The highland forests where few hunters venture have long been the bear's sanctuary.这片只有少数猎人涉险的高山森林，一直都是黑熊的避难所。

6 pro
n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者
参考例句：
The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。 Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

7 marvels
n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春，病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句 Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句

8 par
n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的
参考例句：
Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。 I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

9 conjure
v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法
参考例句：
I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。 I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。

10 languishing
a. 衰弱下去的
参考例句：
He is languishing for home. 他苦思家乡。 How long will she go on languishing for her red-haired boy? 为想见到她的红头发的儿子，她还将为此烦恼多久呢？

11 sector
n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形
参考例句：
The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。 The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 hood
n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖
参考例句：
She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。 The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

13 boundless
adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的
参考例句：
The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。 His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

14 massacre
n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀
参考例句：
There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。 If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

15 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

16 ascent
n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高
参考例句：
His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。 Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

17 croaks
v.呱呱地叫( croak的第三人称单数 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
A burst of noisy croaks came from the pond. 从池塘里传来了一阵喧噪的蛙鸣。 来自互联网 The noise in the zoo turned out to be the croaks of bullfrogs. 动物园里喧噪得很，原来是一群牛蛙在叫。 来自互联网

18 penance
n.（赎罪的）惩罪
参考例句：
They had confessed their sins and done their penance.他们已经告罪并做了补赎。 She knelt at her mother's feet in penance.她忏悔地跪在母亲脚下。

19 persistent
adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的
参考例句：
Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。 She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

20 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

21 fins
[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌
参考例句：
The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网 Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

22 avows
v.公开声明，承认( avow的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：

23 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

24 descends
v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜
参考例句：
This festival descends from a religious rite. 这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The path descends steeply to the village. 小路陡直而下直到村子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 wade
v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉
参考例句：
We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。 We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

26 tranquillity
n. 平静, 安静
参考例句：
The phenomenon was so striking and disturbing that his philosophical tranquillity vanished. 这个令人惶惑不安的现象，扰乱了他的旷达宁静的心境。 My value for domestic tranquillity should much exceed theirs. 我应该远比他们重视家庭的平静生活。

27 purgatory
n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的
参考例句：
Every step of the last three miles was purgatory.最后3英里时每一步都像是受罪。 Marriage,with peace,is this world's paradise;with strife,this world's purgatory.和谐的婚姻是尘世的乐园，不和谐的婚姻则是人生的炼狱。

28 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

29 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。

30 corpses
n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

31 savages
未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。 That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

32 intoxicated
喝醉的，极其兴奋的
参考例句：
She was intoxicated with success. 她为成功所陶醉。 They became deeply intoxicated and totally disoriented. 他们酩酊大醉，东南西北全然不辨。

33 elk
n.麋鹿
参考例句：
I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。

34 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

35 cedars
雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The old cedars were badly damaged in the storm. 风暴严重损害了古老的雪松。 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 1黎巴嫩哪，开开你的门，任火烧灭你的香柏树。

36 solitary
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。 The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

37 woes
困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉
参考例句：
Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。 She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

38 treasury
n.宝库；国库，金库；文库
参考例句：
The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。 This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

39 restitution
n.赔偿；恢复原状
参考例句：
It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。 The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

40 redeem
v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）
参考例句：
He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。 The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

41 accosting
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的现在分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭
参考例句：
The provider of our first breakfast was found by the King of Accosting. 首顿早餐的供货商，此地的发现得来于搭讪之王简称讪王千岁殿下的首次参上。 来自互联网

42 taverns
n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They ain't only two taverns. We can find out quick." 这儿只有两家客栈，会弄明白的。” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险 Maybe ALL the Temperance Taverns have got a ha'nted room, hey, Huck?" 也许所有的禁酒客栈都有个闹鬼的房间，喂，哈克，你说是不是？” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

43 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

44 gratis
adj.免费的
参考例句：
David gives the first consultation gratis.戴维免费提供初次咨询。 The service was gratis to graduates.这项服务对毕业生是免费的。

45 creek
n.小溪，小河，小湾
参考例句：
He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。 People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

46 reclaim
v.要求归还，收回；开垦
参考例句：
I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。 You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

47 perimeters
周边( perimeter的名词复数 )； 周围； 边缘； 周长
参考例句：
Examples include outdoor perimeters, traffic monitoring, tunnels, and car parks. 例子像户外围墙；交通监视；隧道和停车场。

48 guardians
监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者
参考例句：
Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。 The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

49 refinements
n.（生活）风雅；精炼( refinement的名词复数 )；改良品；细微的改良；优雅或高贵的动作
参考例句：
The new model has electric windows and other refinements. 新型号有电动窗和其他改良装置。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It is possible to add a few useful refinements to the basic system. 对基本系统进行一些有益的改良是可能的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

50 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

51 gathering
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。 He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

52 sleeplessness
n.失眠，警觉
参考例句：
Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness. 现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. 医生们对他的奇异的不眠感到疑惑。 来自英语晨读30分（高三）

53 obtuse
adj.钝的；愚钝的
参考例句：
You were too obtuse to take the hint.你太迟钝了，没有理解这种暗示。 "Sometimes it looks more like an obtuse triangle,"Winter said.“有时候它看起来更像一个钝角三角形。”温特说。

54 darts
n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶！ 来自《简明英汉词典》