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CHAPTER XIII. THE ISLAND OF TAPROBANA.
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Taprobana,[34] under the name of the “land of the Antipodes,” was long looked upon as another world: the age and 32 the arms of Alexander the Great were the first to give satisfactory proof that it was an island. Onesicritus, the commander of his fleet, has informed us that the elephants of this island are larger, and better adapted for warfare1 than those of India; and from Megasthenes we learn that it is divided by a river, and that their country is more productive of gold and pearls of great size than even India. Eratosthenes has also given the dimensions of this island, as being seven thousand stadia in length, and five thousand in breadth: he states also that there are no cities, but villages to the number of seven hundred. It begins at the Eastern sea, and lies extended opposite to India, east and west. In former times when the navigation was confined to vessels2 constructed of papyrus3 with the tackle peculiar4 to the Nile, this island was supposed to be twenty days’ sail from the country of the Prasii,[35] but the distance has been estimated at no more than seven days’ sail,[36] reckoned at the speed which can be attained5 by vessels of our construction. The sea that lies between the island and the mainland is full of shallows, not more than six paces in depth; but in certain channels it is of such extraordinary depth, that no anchor has ever found a bottom. For this reason it is that the vessels are constructed with prows6 at either end; so that there may be no necessity for tacking7 while navigating8 these extremely narrow channels. The tonnage of these vessels is three thousand amphor?. In traversing their seas, the people of Taprobana take no observations of the stars, and indeed the Great Bear is not visible to them; but they carry birds out to sea, which they let go from time to time, and so follow their course as they make for the land. They devote only four months in the year to the pursuits of navigation, and are 33 particularly careful not to trust themselves on the sea during the next hundred days after our summer solstice, for in those seas it is at that time the middle of winter.
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1
warfare
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n.战争(状态);斗争;冲突 | |
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2
vessels
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n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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3
papyrus
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n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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4
peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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5
attained
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(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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6
prows
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n.船首( prow的名词复数 ) | |
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7
tacking
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(帆船)抢风行驶,定位焊[铆]紧钉 | |
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8
navigating
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v.给(船舶、飞机等)引航,导航( navigate的现在分词 );(从海上、空中等)横越;横渡;飞跃 | |
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9
reign
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n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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10
treasury
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n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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11
gale
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n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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12
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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13
hospitably
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亲切地,招待周到地,善于款待地 | |
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14
rigid
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adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的 | |
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15
ascertaining
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v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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16
reigns
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n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
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17
pal
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n.朋友,伙伴,同志;vi.结为友 | |
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18
isle
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n.小岛,岛 | |
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19
circumference
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n.圆周,周长,圆周线 | |
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20
northward
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adv.向北;n.北方的地区 | |
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21
promontory
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n.海角;岬 | |
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22
tint
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n.淡色,浅色;染发剂;vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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23
foliage
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n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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24
constellations
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n.星座( constellation的名词复数 );一群杰出人物;一系列(相关的想法、事物);一群(相关的人) | |
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25
beheld
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v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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26
uncouth
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adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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27
detested
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v.憎恶,嫌恶,痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
isolated
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adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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29
exempt
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adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者 | |
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30
vices
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缺陷( vice的名词复数 ); 恶习; 不道德行为; 台钳 | |
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31
esteem
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n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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32
exquisite
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adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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33
enjoyment
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n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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34
opulence
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n.财富,富裕 | |
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35
deity
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n.神,神性;被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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36
aged
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adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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37
distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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38
clement
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adj.仁慈的;温和的 | |
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39
disposition
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n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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40
abdication
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n.辞职;退位 | |
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41
hereditary
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adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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42
advisers
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顾问,劝告者( adviser的名词复数 ); (指导大学新生学科问题等的)指导教授 | |
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43
condemned
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adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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44
acquit
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vt.宣判无罪;(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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45
slays
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杀死,宰杀,杀戮( slay的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
discourse
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n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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47
celebrated
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adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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48
catching
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adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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49
abode
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n.住处,住所 | |
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