Nothing more happened on the passage worthy¹ the mentioning; so, after a fine run, we safely arrived in Nantucket.

Nantucket! Take out your map and look at it. See what a real corner of the world it occupies; how it stands there, away off shore, more lonely than the Eddystone lighthouse. Look at it-- a mere² hillock, and elbow of sand; all beach, without a background. There is more sand there than you would use in twenty years as a substitute for blotting³ paper. Some gamesome wights will tell you that they have to plant weeds there, they don't grow naturally; that they import Canada thistles; that they have to send beyond seas for a spile to stop a leak in an oil cask; that pieces of wood in Nantucket are carried about like bits of the true cross in Rome; that people there plant toadstools before their houses, to get under the shade in summer time; that one blade of grass makes an oasis⁴, three blades in a day's walk a prairie; that they wear quicksand shoes, something like Laplander snow-shoes; that they are so shut up, belted about, every way inclosed, surrounded, and made an utter island of by the ocean, that to their very chairs and tables small clams⁵ will sometimes be found adhering as to the backs of sea turtles. But these extravaganzas only show that Nantucket is no Illinois.

Look now at the wondrous⁶ traditional story of how this island was settled by the red-men. Thus goes the legend. In olden times an eagle swooped⁷ down upon the New England coast and carried off an infant Indian in his talons⁸. With loud lament⁹ the parents saw their child borne out of sight over the wide waters. They resolved to follow in the same direction. Setting out in their canoes, after a

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1 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

2 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。

3 blotting
吸墨水纸
参考例句：
Water will permeate blotting paper. 水能渗透吸水纸。 One dab with blotting-paper and the ink was dry. 用吸墨纸轻轻按了一下，墨水就乾了。

4 oasis
n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方
参考例句：
They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。 The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

5 clams
n.蛤；蚌，蛤( clam的名词复数 )v.（在沙滩上）挖蛤( clam的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The restaurant's specialities are fried clams. 这个餐厅的特色菜是炸蚌。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We dug clams in the flats et low tide. 退潮时我们在浅滩挖蛤蜊。 来自辞典例句

6 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

7 swooped
俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。 The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

8 talons
n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部
参考例句：
The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命 The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句

9 lament
n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹
参考例句：
Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。 We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

10 perilous
adj.危险的，冒险的
参考例句：
The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。 We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

11 livelihood
n.生计，谋生之道
参考例句：
Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。 My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

12 crabs
n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 waded
（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。 He waded into the water to push the boat out. 他蹚进水里把船推出来。

14 cod
n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗
参考例句：
They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。 Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

15 watery
adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的
参考例句：
In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。 Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

16 incessant
adj.不停的，连续的
参考例句：
We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。 She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。

17 everlasting
adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的
参考例句：
These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。 He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

18 mightiest
adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的
参考例句：
\"If thou fearest to leave me in our cottage, thou mightiest take me along with thee. “要是你害怕把我一个人留在咱们的小屋里，你可以带我一块儿去那儿嘛。 来自英汉文学 - 红字 Silent though is, after all, the mightiest agent in human affairs. 确实，沉默毕竟是人类事件中最强大的代理人。 来自互联网

19 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

20 monstrous
adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的
参考例句：
The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。 Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

21 portentousness
Portentousness
参考例句：

22 dreaded
adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。 He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

23 malicious
adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的
参考例句：
You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。 Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

24 hermits
（尤指早期基督教的）隐居修道士，隐士，遁世者( hermit的名词复数 )
参考例句：
In the ancient China,hermits usually lived in hamlets. 在古代中国，隐士们通常都住在小村子里。 Some Buddhist monks live in solitude as hermits. 有些和尚在僻静处隐居。

25 seamen
n.海员
参考例句：
Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。 In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

26 plunder
vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠
参考例句：
The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。 Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

27 plantation
n.种植园，大农场
参考例句：
His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。 The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

28 gull
n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈
参考例句：
The ivory gull often follows polar bears to feed on the remains of seal kills.象牙海鸥经常跟在北极熊的后面吃剩下的海豹尸体。 You are not supposed to gull your friends.你不应该欺骗你的朋友。

29 herds
兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众
参考例句：
Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。 There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

30 walruses
n.海象( walrus的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Walruses have enormous appetites and hunt for food almost constantly. 海象食欲极大，几乎一直在猎取食物。 来自互联网 Two Atlantic walruses snuggle on an ice floe near Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada. 加拿大努勒维特伊格卢利克附近，两头大西洋海象在浮冰上相互偎依。 来自互联网