英國語文第五冊(雙語):格陵蘭島(1)
LESSON 22 Greenland(I)
第二十二課 格陵蘭島（一）
Greenland is a vast island, or cluster of islands perpetually joined together by ice, forming a continent about seven times as large as the British Isles; but its exact extent is not known, as its northern limit, which lies far within the Arctic Ocean, has never been explored.
格陵蘭島是一個巨大的島嶼，還是一個永遠與冰連在一起的群島，形成了一片比不列顛群島大七倍的陸地，可是，它的確切范圍還不清楚，因為北邊的邊界已經遠至北冰洋以內，而且從未被開發(fā)出來。
The American expedition of 1853, under the command of the celebrated Dr. Kane, reached a point on the western coast of Greenland farther north than had previously been attained. It was within six hundred miles of the North Pole. Here they discovered an immense glacier, since named the Humboldt Glacier, which, as described by Dr. Kane, rose like a solid glassy wall, three hundred feet above the level of the water! He considers this great glacier to be the northern termination of a vast ice ocean, which occupies the interior of nearly the whole of Greenland.
1853年，美國的遠征隊在著名的凱恩博士指揮下，來到了格陵蘭島西海岸的一個地方，這比以前已經到達的地方往北更遠了一點，已經進入了北極圈六百英里之內。他們在這里發(fā)現了一個巨大的冰川，后來命名它為洪堡冰川，就像凱恩博士所描述的，它就像是一個高聳起來的立體玻璃幕墻，比海平面要高出三百英尺！他認為這個巨大的冰川是大冰洋的最北邊，幾乎是整個格陵蘭島的內陸。
Attempts were made by one of Dr. Kane's sledge parties to climb the glacier; but, though provided with apparatus, they failed in all their efforts to scale the stupendous mass. Another party, pushing northward and keeping parallel to the glacier, at a distance of about six miles from it, came in sight of a vast open sea, extending as far as the eye could reach. This sea abounded with seals, bears, and all kinds of Arctic birds. It would thus seem as if the limit of the icy barrier had been reached, and that probably round the pole itself there exists an open sea, in which animal life is abundant.
凱恩博士的雪橇團隊中的一組人員，努力爬上了冰川，可是，盡管有輔助的設備，他們既然沒能按比例刻劃出冰川范圍。另一組向北推進，并與冰川保持平行的隊伍，在離他們六英里的位置，看到了一片汪洋大海，目不可及。這片海里滿是無數的海豹，北極熊和各種各樣的北極鳥類。因此，看上去好像已經到了冰川的邊緣，而且，北極周圍可能存在著一片公海，那里海洋動物非常豐富。
The native inhabitants of Greenland are true Esquimaux; and from them, indeed, our earliest knowledge of the Esquimau race was obtained. The habits of these people have been made familiar to us by the accounts given to the world by Danish colonists and missionaries hundreds of years ago; and, in later times, by the Arctic explorers and whale fishers who have visited the frozen regions of the North.
格陵蘭島的原住民是真正地愛斯基摩人;事實上，我們對愛斯基摩種族的認識和了解就是從他們身上得來的。我們對他們的生活習性非常熟悉，是因為這些知識都是由丹麥的殖民者和傳教士在幾百年前傳播到世界各地；后來，由北極探險者和捕鯨的漁夫在冰天雪地的北極親身到訪。
They inhabit a vast territory, extending from Greenland to the shores of the Pacific; and yet the whole Esquimau race is supposed to number only about fifty thousand, or not much more than the population of such a town as Carlisle.
他們住在一片廣闊的領域，從格陵蘭島延伸到太平洋沿岸，可是，整個愛斯基摩種族的人口大約只有五萬左右，也就是不超過卡萊爾鎮(zhèn)的人口數。
The average stature of the Esquimaux is far below that of European nations. The common height is little more than five feet, and an Esquimau of six feet would be a giant among his people.
愛斯基摩人的平均身高遠遠低于歐洲人。他們的一般身高不過五英尺，而一個六英尺的愛斯基摩人，在他們種族里已是巨人。
