IT was the 23d of December, 1864, a dull, damp, dreary¹ month in the northern hemisphere; but on the Australian continent it might be called June. The hottest season of the year had already commenced, and the sun’s rays were almost tropical, when Lord Glenarvan started on his new expedition.

Most fortunately the 37th parallel did not cross the immense deserts, inaccessible² regions, which have cost many martyrs³ to science already. Glenarvan could never have encountered them. He had only to do with the southern part of Australia — viz., with a narrow portion of the province of Adelaide, with the whole of Victoria, and with the top of the reversed triangle which forms New South Wales.

It is scarcely sixty-two miles from Cape⁴ Bernouilli to the frontiers of Victoria. It was not above a two days’ march, and Ayrton reckoned on their sleeping next night at Apsley, the most westerly town of Victoria.

The commencement of a journey is always marked by ardor⁵, both in the horses and the horsemen. This is well enough in the horsemen, but if the horses are to go far, their speed must be moderated and their strength husbanded. It was, therefore, fixed⁶ that the average journey every day should not be more than from twenty-five to thirty miles.

Besides, the pace of the horses must be regulated by the slower pace of the bullocks, truly mechanical engines which lose in time what they gain in power. The wagon⁷, with its passengers and provisions, was the very center of the caravan⁸, the moving fortress⁹. The horsemen might act as scouts¹⁰

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1 dreary
adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的
参考例句：
They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。 She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

2 inaccessible
adj.达不到的，难接近的
参考例句：
This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。 The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

3 martyrs
n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）
参考例句：
the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者 They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 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。

5 ardor
n.热情，狂热
参考例句：
His political ardor led him into many arguments.他的政治狂热使他多次卷入争论中。 He took up his pursuit with ardor.他满腔热忱地从事工作。

6 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。

7 wagon
n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车
参考例句：
We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。 The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

8 caravan
n.大蓬车；活动房屋
参考例句：
The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。 Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

9 fortress
n.堡垒，防御工事
参考例句：
They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。 The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

10 scouts
侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员
参考例句：
to join the Scouts 参加童子军 The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

11 inclinations
倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡
参考例句：
She has artistic inclinations. 她有艺术爱好。 I've no inclinations towards life as a doctor. 我的志趣不是行医。

12 scour
v.搜索；擦，洗，腹泻，冲刷
参考例句：
Mother made me scour the family silver.母亲让我擦洗家里的银器。 We scoured the telephone directory for clues.我们仔细查阅电话簿以寻找线索。

13 amiable
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。 We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

14 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

15 monotonous
adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的
参考例句：
She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。 His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。

16 grassy
adj.盖满草的；长满草的
参考例句：
They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。 Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

17 solely
adv.仅仅，唯一地
参考例句：
Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。 The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

18 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。

19 geographer
n.地理学者
参考例句：
His grandfather is a geographer.他的祖父是一位地理学家。 Li Siguang is a famous geographer.李四光是一位著名的地理学家。

20 devastating
adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的
参考例句：
It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。 Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

21 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

22 annually
adv.一年一次，每年
参考例句：
Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。 They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

23 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。

24 geographical
adj.地理的；地区(性)的
参考例句：
The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。 These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

25 disappearance
n.消失，消散，失踪
参考例句：
He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。 Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

26 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

27 beaks
n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者
参考例句：
Baby cockatoos will have black eyes and soft, almost flexible beaks. 雏鸟凤头鹦鹉黑色的眼睛是柔和的，嘴几乎是灵活的。 来自互联网 Squid beaks are often found in the stomachs of sperm whales. 经常能在抹香鲸的胃里发现鱿鱼的嘴。 来自互联网

28 naturalists
n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者
参考例句：
Naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value. 自然学者对于不同性状决定生物的属的含义上，各有各的见解。 来自辞典例句 This fact has led naturalists to believe that the Isthmus was formerly open. 使许多自然学者相信这个地蛱在以前原是开通的。 来自辞典例句

29 pendulum
n.摆，钟摆
参考例句：
The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。 He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

30 paradoxes
n.似非而是的隽语，看似矛盾而实际却可能正确的说法( paradox的名词复数 )；用于语言文学中的上述隽语；有矛盾特点的人[事物，情况]
参考例句：
Contradictions and paradoxes arose in increasing numbers. 矛盾和悖论越来越多。 来自辞典例句 As far as these paradoxes are concerned, the garden definitely a heterotopia. 就这些吊诡性而言，花园无疑地是个异质空间。 来自互联网

31 botanist
n.植物学家
参考例句：
The botanist introduced a new species of plant to the region.那位植物学家向该地区引入了一种新植物。 I had never talked with a botanist before,and I found him fascinating.我从没有接触过植物学那一类的学者，我觉得他说话极有吸引力。

32 parody
n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文
参考例句：
The parody was just a form of teasing.那个拙劣的模仿只是一种揶揄。 North Korea looks like a grotesque parody of Mao's centrally controlled China,precisely the sort of system that Beijing has left behind.朝鲜看上去像是毛时代中央集权的中国的怪诞模仿，其体制恰恰是北京方面已经抛弃的。

33 defiance
n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗
参考例句：
He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。 He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

34 tirade
n.冗长的攻击性演说
参考例句：
Her tirade provoked a counterblast from her husband.她的长篇大论激起了她丈夫的强烈反对。 He delivered a long tirade against the government.他发表了反政府的长篇演说。

35 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。

36 brandishing
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀
参考例句：
The horseman came up to Robin Hood, brandishing his sword. 那个骑士挥舞着剑，来到罗宾汉面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. 他挥舞着一把小刀，出现在休息室里。 来自辞典例句

37 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。

38 enumeration
n.计数，列举；细目；详表；点查
参考例句：
Predictive Categoriesinclude six categories of prediction, namely Enumeration, Advance Labeling, Reporting,Recapitulation, Hypotheticality, and Question. 其中预设种类又包括列举(Enumeration)、提前标示(Advance Labeling)、转述(Reporting)、回顾(Recapitulation)、假设(Hypotheticality)和提问(Question)。 来自互联网 Here we describe a systematic procedure which is basically "enumeration" in nature. 这里介绍一个本质上是属于“枚举法”的系统程序。 来自辞典例句

39 peculiarities
n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪
参考例句：
the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点 He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

40 vehemence
n.热切；激烈；愤怒
参考例句：
The attack increased in vehemence.进攻越来越猛烈。 She was astonished at his vehemence.她对他的激昂感到惊讶。

41 measles
n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子
参考例句：
The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。 The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

42 chronic
adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的
参考例句：
Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。 Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

43 auditors
n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生
参考例句：
The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。 a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

44 preamble
n.前言；序文
参考例句：
He spoke without preamble.他没有开场白地讲起来。 The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty.针对统一条约的序文出现了争论。

45 rust
n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退
参考例句：
She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。 The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

46 linen
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。 Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

47 virtue
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

48 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

49 docility
n.容易教，易驾驶，驯服
参考例句：
He was trying to plant the seed of revolt, arouse that placid peasant docility. 他想撒下反叛的种子，唤醒这个安分驯良的农民的觉悟。 来自辞典例句 With unusual docility, Nancy stood up and followed him as he left the newsroom. 南希以难得的顺从站起身来，尾随着他离开了新闻编辑室。 来自辞典例句

50 regenerated
v.新生，再生( regenerate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They are regarded as being enveloped in regenerated gneisses. 它们被认为包围在再生的片麻岩之中。 来自辞典例句 The party soon regenerated under her leadership. 该党在她的领导下很快焕然一新。 来自辞典例句