ALL that could be discovered, however, on these pieces of paper was a few words here and there, the remainder of the lines being almost completely obliterated¹ by the action of the water. Lord Glenarvan examined them attentively² for a few minutes, turning them over on all sides, holding them up to the light, and trying to decipher the least scrap³ of writing, while the others looked on with anxious eyes. At last he said: “There are three distinct documents here, apparently⁴ copies of the same document in three different languages. Here is one in English, one in French, and one in German.”

“But can you make any sense out of them?” asked Lady Helena.

“That’s hard to say, my dear Helena, the words are quite incomplete.”

“Perhaps the one may supplement the other,” suggested Major McNabbs.

“Very likely they will,” said the captain. “It is impossible that the very same words should have been effaced⁵ in each document, and by putting the scraps⁶ together we might gather some intelligible⁷ meaning out of them.”

“That’s what we will do,” rejoined Lord Glenarvan; “but let us proceed methodically. Here is the English document first.”

All that remained of it was the following:

62 Bri gow
sink stra
aland
skipp Gr
that monit of long
and ssistance
lost

“There’s not much to be made out of that,” said the Major, looking disappointed.

“No, but it is good English anyhow,” returned the captain.

“There’s no doubt of it,” said Glenarvan. “The words SINK, ALAND, LOST are entire; SKIPP is evidently part of the word SKIPPER, and that’s what they call ship captains often in England. There seems a Mr. Gr. mentioned, and that most likely is the captain of the shipwrecked

点击收听单词发音  

1 obliterated
v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭
参考例句：
The building was completely obliterated by the bomb. 炸弹把那座建筑物彻底摧毁了。 He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 scrap
n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废
参考例句：
A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。 Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

4 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 effaced
v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；超越；使黯然失色
参考例句：
Someone has effaced part of the address on his letter. 有人把他信上的一部分地址擦掉了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The name of the ship had been effaced from the menus. 那艘船的名字已经从菜单中删除了。 来自辞典例句

6 scraps
油渣
参考例句：
Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。 A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

7 intelligible
adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的
参考例句：
This report would be intelligible only to an expert in computing.只有计算机运算专家才能看懂这份报告。 His argument was barely intelligible.他的论点不易理解。

8 shipwreck
n.船舶失事，海难
参考例句：
He walked away from the shipwreck.他船难中平安地脱险了。 The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.那次船难是一个惨痛的经历。

9 wreck
n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难
参考例句：
Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。 No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

10 wrecked
adj.失事的，遇难的
参考例句：
the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸 the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

11 vessel
n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管
参考例句：
The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。 You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

12 scattered
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

13 mangles
n.轧布机，轧板机，碾压机（mangle的复数形式）vt.乱砍（mangle的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
This mangles their bones and sends these defenseless creatures into convulsions, but rarely causes immediate death. 这些会弄断动物的骨头或神经，导致他们抽搐，但并不会导致他们立即死亡。 来自互联网

14 syllable
n.音节；vt.分音节
参考例句：
You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。 The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。

15 recollect
v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得
参考例句：
He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。 She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

16 catastrophe
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。 This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

17 explicit
adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的
参考例句：
She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。 He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

18 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

19 longitude
n.经线，经度
参考例句：
The city is at longitude 21°east.这个城市位于东经21度。 He noted the latitude and longitude,then made a mark on the admiralty chart.他记下纬度和经度，然后在航海图上做了个标记。

20 latitude
n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区
参考例句：
The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。 The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

21 ascertain
vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清
参考例句：
It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。 We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

22 foundered
v.创始人( founder的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Three ships foundered in heavy seas. 三艘船在波涛汹涌的海面上沉没了。 来自辞典例句 The project foundered as a result of lack of finance. 该项目因缺乏资金而告吹。 来自辞典例句

23 investigations
（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究
参考例句：
His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。 He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

24 enigma
n.谜，谜一样的人或事
参考例句：
I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。 Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。

25 conjecture
n./v.推测，猜测
参考例句：
She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。 This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

26 entreat
v.恳求，恳请
参考例句：
Charles Darnay felt it hopeless entreat him further,and his pride was touched besides.查尔斯-达尔内感到再恳求他已是枉然，自尊心也受到了伤害。 I entreat you to contribute generously to the building fund.我恳求您慷慨捐助建设基金。

27 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。

28 conjectures
推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 )
参考例句：
That's weighing remote military conjectures against the certain deaths of innocent people. 那不过是牵强附会的军事假设，而现在的事实却是无辜者正在惨遭杀害，这怎能同日而语！ I was right in my conjectures. 我所猜测的都应验了。

29 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
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

30 contagious
adj.传染性的，有感染力的
参考例句：
It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。 He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

31 plausible
adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的
参考例句：
His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。 Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

32 inquiries
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。 I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

33 shipping
n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）
参考例句：
We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。 There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

34 cargo
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物
参考例句：
The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。 A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

35 adventurous
adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的
参考例句：
I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。 He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

36 afterward
adv.后来；以后
参考例句：
Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。 Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

37 dictating
v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 )；口授；支配；摆布
参考例句：
The manager was dictating a letter to the secretary. 经理在向秘书口授信稿。 来自辞典例句 Her face is impassive as she listens to Miller dictating the warrant for her arrest. 她毫无表情地在听米勒口述拘留她的证书。 来自辞典例句

38 confided
v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等）
参考例句：
She confided all her secrets to her best friend. 她向她最要好的朋友倾吐了自己所有的秘密。 He confided to me that he had spent five years in prison. 他私下向我透露，他蹲过五年监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》