I CARRY SOME THINGS ASHORE 5 страница. Some of them fell in pieces of their own weight (некоторые их них распадались на кусочки от собственного веса)

Some of them fell in pieces of their own weight (некоторые их них распадались на кусочки от собственного веса). Some of them fell in pieces when I tried to lift them (когда я пытался поднять их).

They were of all shapes and sizes (всех форм и размеров).

After I had worked two months I had only two large jars (после того, как я проработал два месяца, у меня было только два больших кувшина) that were fit to look at (на которые можно было смотреть; fit — подходящий, подобающий). These I used for holding my rice and barley meal (их я использовал для хранения рисовой и ячменной еды).

Then I tried some smaller things, and did quite well (попытался /сделать/ несколько более мелких вещей, и сделал довольно хорошо).

I made some plates (тарелок), a pitcher (кувшин), and some little jars that would hold about a pint (и несколько маленьких кувшинов, которые удерживали около пинты /мера емкости = 0,57 л/).

All these I baked in the hot sun (обжег а горячем солнце). They kept their shape (они сохранили свою форму), and seemed quite hard (казались довольно крепкими). But of course they would not hold water or bear the heat of the fire (не удержали бы воды и не выдержали бы жара огня).

One day when I was cooking my meat for dinner (мясо на ужин), I made a very hot fire (сделал очень жаркий огонь). When I was done with it (когда я закончил это = приготовление ужина), I raked down the coals (разгреб угли) and poured water on it to put it out (налил воды на них, чтобы загасить его).

It so happened that one of my little earthenware jars had fallen into the fire and been broken (так случилось, что один из моих глиняных кувшинов упал в огонь и разбился). I had not taken it out (я не вытащил его), but had left it in the hot flames (оставил его в горячем пламени).

Now, as I was raking out the coals (когда я разгребал угли), I found some pieces of it and was surprised at the sight of them (был удивлен при виде их), for they were burned as hard as stones and as red as tiles (спеклись крепкими, как камни, и красными, как черепица).

"If broken pieces will burn so (если разбитые куски обжигаются так)," said I, "why cannot a whole jar be made as hard and as red as these (почему целый кувшин не может быть сделан таким же твердым и красным, как эти)?"

I had never seen potters at work (гончаров за работой). I did not know how to build a kiln for firing the pots (как построить печь для обжига горшков). I had never heard how earthenware is glazed (как глина глазируется).

But I made up my mind to see what could be done (но я решил посмотреть, что может быть сделано).

I put several pots and small jars in a pile (я поставил несколько горшков и кувшинов кучей), one upon another (один на другом). I laid dry wood all over and about them (положил сухое дерево над и вокруг), and then set it on fire (поджег это).

As fast as the wood burned up (как только дерево прогорало), I heaped other pieces upon the fire (я бросал новые деревяшки в огонь). The hot flames roared all round the jars and pots (пламя кружило вокруг кувшинов и горшков). The red coals burned beneath them (красные угли горели за ними).

I kept the fire going all day (я поддерживал огонь весь день). I could see the pots become red-hot through and through (я мог видеть, как горшки становятся красными совершенно; through — насквозь; совершенно). The sand on the side of a little jar began to melt and run (песок в стороне от маленького кувшина начал плавиться и течь).

After that I let the fire go down (после этого я позволил огню потухнуть), little by little (мало-помалу). I watched it all night (смотрел за ним всю ночь), for I did not wish the pots and jars to cool too quickly (не хотел, чтобы горшки и кувшины остывали слишком быстро).

In the morning I found that I had three very good earthen pots (обнаружил, что я имел три очень хороших глиняных горшка). They were not at all pretty (вовсе не были красивыми), but they were as hard as rocks (тверды как камень; rock — скала) and would hold water (и будут удержать воду).

I had two fine jars also, and one of them was well glazed with the melted sand (хорошо глазированный расплавленным песком).

After this I made all the pots and jars and plates and pans that I needed (сделал все горшки и тарелки и кружки, которые были нужны). They were of all shapes and sizes (они были всех форм и размеров).

You would have laughed to see them (вы бы посмеялись, увидев их).

Of course I was awkward at this work (конечно, я был неуклюжим при этой работе = делал неуклюже). I was like a child making mud pies (как ребенок, делающий пироги из грязи).

But how glad I was when I found that I had a vessel that would bear the fire (но как рад я был когда обнаружил, что я имел сосуд, который бы вынес огонь)! I could hardly wait to put some water in it and boil me some meat (я едва мог ждать, чтобы налить воды в него и сварить себе мясо).

That night I had turtle soup (черепаховый суп) and barley broth for supper (ячменную похлебку на ужин).

 

turtle [tə:tl] child [tʃaild] earthen [ə:θən]

 

I BECOME A POTTER

 

WHEN it came to making bread, I found that I needed several vessels. In fact, I needed them in many ways. It would be hard to make wooden vessels. Of course it was out of the question to make vessels of iron or any other metal. But why might I not make some earthen vessels?

If I could find some good clay, I felt quite sure that I could make pots strong enough to be of use.

After much trouble I found the clay. The next thing was to shape it into pots or jars.

You would have laughed to see the first things I tried to make. How ugly they were!

Some of them fell in pieces of their own weight. Some of them fell in pieces when I tried to lift them.

They were of all shapes and sizes.

After I had worked two months I had only two large jars that were fit to look at. These I used for holding my rice and barley meal.

Then I tried some smaller things, and did quite well.

I made some plates, a pitcher, and some little jars that would hold about a pint.

All these I baked in the hot sun. They kept their shape, and seemed quite hard. But of course they would not hold water or bear the heat of the fire.

One day when I was cooking my meat for dinner, I made a very hot fire. When I was done with it, I raked down the coals and poured water on it to put it out.

It so happened that one of my little earthenware jars had fallen into the fire and been broken. I had not taken it out, but had left it in the hot flames.

Now, as I was raking out the coals, I found some pieces of it and was surprised at the sight of them, for they were burned as hard as stones and as red as tiles.

"If broken pieces will burn so," said I, "why cannot a whole jar be made as hard and as red as these?"

I had never seen potters at work. I did not know how to build a kiln for firing the pots. I had never heard how earthenware is glazed.

But I made up my mind to see what could be done.

I put several pots and small jars in a pile, one upon another. I laid dry wood all over and about them, and then set it on fire.

As fast as the wood burned up, I heaped other pieces upon the fire. The hot flames roared all round the jars and pots. The red coals burned beneath them.

I kept the fire going all day. I could see the pots become red-hot through and through. The sand on the side of a little jar began to melt and run.

After that I let the fire go down, little by little. I watched it all night, for I did not wish the pots and jars to cool too quickly.

In the morning I found that I had three very good earthen pots. They were not at all pretty, but they were as hard as rocks and would hold water.

I had two fine jars also, and one of them was well glazed with the melted sand.

After this I made all the pots and jars and plates and pans that I needed. They were of all shapes and sizes.

You would have laughed to see them.

Of course I was awkward at this work. I was like a child making mud pies.

But how glad I was when I found that I had a vessel that would bear the fire! I could hardly wait to put some water in it and boil me some meat.

That night I had turtle soup and barley broth for supper.

 

I BUILD A BIG CANOE (большое каноэ)

 

WHILE I was doing these things I was always trying to think of some way to escape from the island (пока я делал эти вещи, я постоянно пытался подумать о каком-то пути /как/ сбежать с острова).

 

 

True (правда), I was living there with much comfort (я жил там с большим удобствами). I was happier than I had ever been while sailing the seas (был счастливее, чем когда я плавал по морям).

But I longed to see other men (очень хотел увидеть других людей). I longed for home and friends (очень хотел увидеть дом и друзей; to long for … — очень хотеть, стремиться, страстно желать).

You will remember that when I was over at the farther side of the island (вы должны помнить, что когда я был на дальней стороне острова) I had seen land in the distance (я видел землю на расстоянии). Fifty or sixty miles of water lay between me and that land (50-60 миль воды лежало между мной и той землей). Yet I was always wishing that I could reach it (но я всегда желал, чтобы я мог достичь ее).

It was a foolish wish (глупое желание). For there was no telling what I might find on that distant shore (трудно было предположить, что я мог бы найти на том далеком берегу).

Perhaps it was a far worse place than my little island (возможно, это было намного худшее место, чем мой маленький остров). Perhaps there were savage beasts there (дикие звери). Perhaps wild men lived there who would kill me and eat me (дикие люди жили там, которые убьют и съедят меня).

I thought of all these things (думал обо всех этих вещах); but I was willing to risk every kind of danger rather than stay where I was (я желал /скорее/ рискнуть любой опасностью = пойти на любую опасность, чем оставаться, где я был).

At last I made up my mind to build a boat (наконец я решил построить лодку). It should be large enough to carry me and all that belonged to me (должна быть достаточно большой, чтобы перевезти меня и все, что принадлежало мне). It should be strong enough to stand a long voyage over stormy seas (достаточно крепкой, чтобы выдержать долгий вояж по штормящим морям).

I had seen the great canoes which Indians sometimes make of the trunks of trees (я видел большие каноэ, которые индейцы иногда делают из стволов деревьев). I would make one of the same kind (такого же вида).

In the woods I found a cedar tree (нашел кедр) which I thought was just the right thing for my canoe (который, я думал, был как раз подходящим для моего каноэ).

It was a huge tree (огромное дерево). Its trunk was more than five feet through at the bottom (ствол был более пяти футов в диаметре у нижней части).

I chopped and hewed many days before it fell to the ground (рубил много дней, прежде чем он упал на землю). It took two weeks to cut a log of the right length from it (потребовалось две недели, чтобы вырезать бревно нужной длины из него).

Then I went to work on the log (приступил к работе над бревном). I chopped and hewed (рубил и вырубал) and shaped the outside into the form of a canoe (придал снаружи форму каноэ). With hatchet and chisel I hollowed out the inside (топориком и долотом выдолбил полость).

For full three months I worked on that cedar log (полных три месяца я работал над этой кедровым бревном). I was both proud and glad when the canoe was finished (был горд и рад, когда каноэ было закончено). I had never seen so big a boat made from a single tree (я никогда не видел такой большой лодки, сделанной из одного дерева).

It was well shaped and handsome (хорошей формы и красивая). More than twenty men might find room to sit in it (более 20 человек могли бы найти место и сесть в ней).

But now the hardest question of all must be answered (но теперь самый сложный из всех вопросов должен быть отвечен).

How was I to get my canoe into the water (как я смогу доставить каноэ на воду)?

It lay not more than three hundred feet from the little river (лежало не более чем в 300 футах от реки) where I had first landed with my raft (где я впервые причалил с моим плотом).

But how was I to move it three hundred feet, or even one foot (но как я должен был сдвинуть его на триста футов, или даже на один фут)? It was so heavy that I could not even roll it over (было таким тяжелым, что я не мог даже перевернуть его).

I thought of several plans (придумал несколькох планов). But when I came to reckon the time and the labor (но когда я подошел к подсчету времени и труда), I found that even by the easiest plan it would take twenty years to get the canoe into the water (обнаружил, что даже при самом простом плане потребовалось бы 20 лет, чтобы спустить каноэ на воду).

What could I do but leave it in the woods where it lay (что мог я сделать, кроме как оставить его в лесу, где оно лежало)?

How foolish I had been (каким глупым, неразумным я был)! Why had I not thought of the weight of the canoe before going to the labor of making it (почему я не подумал о весе каноэ, перед тем как начать работу по созданию его)?

The wise man will always look before he leaps (мудрый человек всегда посмотрит, прежде чем прыгнет). I certainly had not acted wisely (определенно не действовал мудро).

I went back to my castle (вернулся в замок), feeling sad and thoughtful (чувствуя себе грустным и задумчивым).

Why should I be discontented and unhappy (почему я должен быть таким неудовлетворенным и несчастным)?

I was the master of all that I saw (я был владельцем всего, что я видел). I might call myself the king of the island (я мог назвать себя королем острова).

I had all the comforts of life (я имел все удобства жизни).

I had food in plenty (еду в изобилии).

I might raise shiploads of grain (мог бы вырастить корабли зерна; shipload — судовой груз), but there was no market for it (не было рынка для него).

I had thousands of trees for timber (для древесины) and fue (топлива), but no one wished to buy (но никто не хотел покупать).

I counted the money which I had brought from the ship (пересчитал деньги, которые я принес с корабля). There were above a hundred pieces of gold and silver (свыше 100 монет золота и серебра); but of what use were they (но какая польза от них)?

I would have given all for a handful of peas or beans to plant (я отдал бы все за горсть гороха и бобов /которые можно было бы/ посеять). I would have given all for a bottle of ink (отдал бы все за бутылку чернил).

 

custom [‘kΛstəm] spread [spred] umbrella [Λm’brelə]

 

I BUILD A BIG CANOE

WHILE I was doing these things I was always trying to think of some way to escape from the island. True, I was living there with much comfort. I was happier than I had ever been while sailing the seas.

But I longed to see other men. I longed for home and friends.

You will remember that when I was over at the farther side of the island I had seen land in the distance. Fifty or sixty miles of water lay between me and that land. Yet I was always wishing that I could reach it.

It was a foolish wish. For there was no telling what I might find on that distant shore.

Perhaps it was a far worse place than my little island. Perhaps there were savage beasts there. Perhaps wild men lived there who would kill me and eat me.

I thought of all these things; but I was willing to risk every kind of danger rather than stay where I was.

At last I made up my mind to build a boat. It should be large enough to carry me and all that belonged to me. It should be strong enough to stand a long voyage over stormy seas.

I had seen the great canoes which Indians sometimes make of the trunks of trees. I would make one of the same kind.

In the woods I found a cedar tree which I thought was just the right thing for my canoe.

It was a huge tree. Its trunk was more than five feet through at the bottom.

I chopped and hewed many days before it fell to the ground. It took two weeks to cut a log of the right length from it.

Then I went to work on the log. I chop and hewed and shaped the outside into the form of a canoe. With hatchet and chisel I hollowed out the inside.

For full three months I worked on that cedar log. I was both proud and glad when the canoe was finished. I had never seen so big a boat made from a single tree.

It was well shaped and handsome. More than twenty men might find room to sit in it.

But now the hardest question of all must answered.

How was I to get my canoe into the water?

It lay not more than three hundred feet from the little river where I had first landed with my raft.

But how was I to move it three hundred feet, or even one foot? It was so heavy that I could not even roll it over.

I thought of several plans. But when I came to reckon the time and the labor, I found that even by the easiest plan it would take twenty years to get the canoe into the water.

What could I do but leave it in the woods where it lay?

How foolish I had been! Why had I not thought of the weight of the canoe before going to the labor of making it?

The wise man will always look before he leaps. I certainly had not acted wisely.

I went back to my castle, feeling sad and thoughtful.

Why should I be discontented and unhappy?

I was the master of all that I saw. I might call myself the king of the island.

I had all the comforts of life.

I had food in plenty.

I might raise shiploads of grain, but there was no market for it.

I had thousands of trees for timber and fuel, but no one wished to buy.

I counted the money which I had brought from the ship. There were above a hundred pieces of gold and silver; but of what use were they?

I would have given all for a handful of peas or beans to plant. I would have given all for a bottle of ink.

 

I MAKE AN UMBRELLA (зонтик)

 

AS the years went by (пока проходили годы) the things which I had brought from the ship were used up or worn out (использовались /до конца/ и износились).

 

My biscuits lasted more than a year (печенья хватило более чем на год); for I ate only one cake each day (так как я ел только одно печенье каждый день).

My ink soon gave out (чернила вскоре иссякли), and then I had no more use for pens or paper (затем я не мог больше использовать карандаши и бумагу).

At last my clothes were all worn out (наконец одежда моя была вся изношена).

The weather (погода) was always warm on my island and there was little need for clothes (была малая необходимость в одежде). But I could not go without them (но я не мог выходить без нее).

It so happened that I had saved the skins of all the animals I had killed (так случилось, что я сохранял шкуры всех животных, /которых/ я убил).

I stretched every skin on a framework of sticks (растягивал каждую шкуру на каркасе из палок) and hung it up in the sun to dry (вешал на солнце сушиться).

In time I had a great many of these skins (спустя некоторое время у меня было очень много этих шкур). Some were coarse (некоторые были грубыми) and stiff (негибкими) and fit for nothing (не подходили ни для чего). Others were soft to the touch and very pretty to look at (другие были мягкими на ощупь и приятные глазу).

One day I took one of the finest and made me a cap of it (шапочку из нее). I left all the hair on the outside (я оставил всю шерсть: «волосы» снаружи), so as to shoot off the rain (так, чтобы сбрасывать дождь = защищать от дождя).

It was not very pretty (была не очень красивой); but it was of great use (очень полезна), and what more did I want (чего же больше желать)?

I did so well with the cap that I thought I would try something else (у меня получилось так хорошо с шапочкой, что я подумал, что я бы попытался чт-нибудь еще /сделать/). So, after a great deal of trouble (после многих мучений, трудностей), I made me a whole suit (целый костюм).

I made me a waistcoat (жилет) and a pair of knee breeches (бриджей до колен). I wanted them to keep me cool rather than warm (я хотел, чтобы они «держали» меня скорее в прохладе, чем в тепле). So I made them quite loose (довольно свободными).

You would have laughed to see them (вы бы посмеялись, увидев их). They were funny things, I tell you (забавные вещи, скажу я вам). But when I went out in the rain (но когда я выходил наружу под дождь), they kept me dry («сохраняли меня сухим»).

This, I think, put me in mind of an umbrella (подсказало мне идею сделать зонт).

I had seen umbrellas in Brazil, although they were not yet common in England (не были еще распространены в Англии). They were of much use in the summer when the sun shone hot (когда солнце светило жарко).

I thought that if they were good in Brazil (я думал, если они были хороши в Бразилии), they would be still better here (они будут еще лучше здесь), where the sun was much hotter (где солнце было намного жарче).

So I set about the making of one (приступил к тому, чтобы делать зонт).

I took great pains with it (это потребовало больших усилий от меня; pain — боль; мука), and it was a long time before it pleased me at all (и прошло долгое время, прежде чем он понравился мне вообще).

I could make it spread (мог развернуть его; spread — развертывать/ся/), but it did not let down (но он не складывался: «не опускался»). And what would be the use of an umbrella that could not be folded (и какая была бы польза от зонта, который нельзя было бы сложить: «не мог быть сложенным»)?

I do not know how many weeks I spent at this work (не знаю, сколько недель я провел за этой работой). It was play work rather than anything else (это была скорее игровая работа = легкая работа, развлечение, чем что-то другое), and I picked it up only at odd times (и я подхватывал ее только в свободное время; odd — нечетный; случайный, нерегулярный).

At last I had an umbrella that opened and shut (наконец я имел зонт, который открывался и закрывался) just as an umbrella should (именно так, как зонт должен).

I covered it with skins (покрыл его шкурами), with the hair on the outside (шерстью наружу). In the rain it was as good as a shed (в дождь он был столь же хорош, как навес). In the sun it made a pleasant shade (он давал приятную тень).

I could now go out in all kinds of weather (выходить в любую погоду). I need not care whether the rain fell or the sun shone (не приходилось беспокоиться, шел ли дождь или светило солнце).

For the next five years I lived very quietly (очень спокойно). I kept always busy (я всегда находил занятие) and did not allow myself to feel lonely (не позволял себе чувствовать себя одиноким).

I divided each day into parts according to my several duties (я делил каждый день на части в соответствии с рядом моих обязанностей).

After reading in my Bible (после чтения Библии), it was my custom to spend about three hours every morning in search of food (моей привычкой было проводить примерно три часа каждое утро в поисках еды). Through the heat of the day (во время дневной жары), I busied myself in the shade of my castle or bower (я занимался = работал в тени замка или беседки).

In the evening, when the sun was low (когда солнце было низким), I worked in my fields (работал на полях). But sometimes I went to work very early in the morning and left my hunting until the afternoon (но иногда шел работать очень рано утром и оставлял охоту до послеобеденного времени).

 

failure [‘feiljə] trial [traiəl] adventure [əd’ventʃə]

 

I MAKE AN UMBRELLA

 

AS the years went by the things which I had brought from the ship were used up or worn out. My biscuits lasted more than a year; for I ate only one cake each day.

My ink soon gave out, and then I had no more use for pens or paper.

At last my clothes were all worn out.

The weather was always warm on my island and there was little need for clothes. But I could not go without them.

It so happened that I had saved the skins of all the animals I had killed.

I stretched every skin on a framework of sticks. and hung it up in the sun to dry.

In time I had a great many of these skins. Some were coarse and stiff and fit for nothing. Others were soft to the touch and very pretty to look at.

One day I took one of the finest and made me a cap of it. I left all the hair on the outside, so as to shoot off the rain.

It was not very pretty; but it was of great use, and what more did I want?

I did so well with the cap that I thought I would try something else. So, after a great deal of trouble, I made me a whole suit.

I made me a waistcoat and a pair of knee breeches. I wanted them to keep me cool rather than warm. So I made them quite loose.

You would have laughed to see them. They were funny things, I tell you. But when I went out in the rain, they kept me dry.

This, I think, put me in mind of an umbrella.

I had seen umbrellas in Brazil, although they were not yet common in England. They were of much use in the summer when the sun shone hot.

I thought that if they were good in Brazil, they would be still better here, where the sun was much hotter.

So I set about the making of one.

I took great pains with it, and it was a long time before it pleased me at all.

I could make it spread, but it did not let down. And what would be the use of an umbrella that could not be folded?

I do not know how many weeks I spent at this work. It was play work rather than anything else, and I picked it up only at odd times.

At last I had an umbrella that opened and shut just as an umbrella should.

I covered it with skins, with the hair on the outside. In the rain it was as good as a shed. In the sun it made a pleasant shade.

I could now go out in all kinds of weather. I need not care whether the rain fell or the sun shone.

For the next five years I lived very quietly. I kept always busy and did not allow myself to feel lonely.

I divided each day into parts according to my several duties.

After reading in my Bible, it was my custom to spend about three hours every morning in search of food. Through the heat of the day, I busied myself in the shade of my castle or bower.

In the evening, when the sun was low, I worked in my fields. But sometimes I went to work very early in the morning and left my hunting until the afternoon.

 

I HAVE A PERILOUS ADVENTURE (опасное приключение)

 

I HAD never given up the idea of having a canoe (никогда не бросал идею иметь каноэ).

My first trial (попытка), as you have seen, was a failure (была провалом). I had made too big a boat (слишком большую лодку), and I had made it too far from the water (сделал ее слишком далеко от воды). I could do better another time (я мог сделать лучше в другой раз).

 

One day after I had harvested my grain (после того как я собрал зерно), I set to work (принялся за работу).

There was no tree near the river that was fit for a canoe (около реки не было дерева, которое подходило для каноэ). But I found a fine one nearly half a mile away (но я нашел хорошее /дерево/ примерно в полумиле).

Before I began to chop the tree (прежде чем я начал рубить дерево), I made all my plans for taking the canoe to the water (я разработал все планы /как/ доставить каноэ к воде).

I worked now with a will (с желанием), for I felt sure that I would succeed (так как я чувствовал себя уверенным, что преуспею).

In a few weeks the little vessel was finished (маленькое судно было готово). It was a very pretty canoe (красивое), and large enough for only two or three persons (достаточно большим только для двух или трех человек).

Small as it was (маленькое, каким оно было = хотя оно было таким маленьким), it was quite heavy (довольно тяжелым). For you must remember that it was a part of the tree (так как вы должны помнить, что это была часть дерева), hollowed out and shaped like a boat (выдолбленная внутри в форме лодки). It was as much as I could do to lift one end of it (все, что я мог сделать, это поднять один конец его).

How should I ever get it to the river (как я должен когда-либо доставить его к реке = как же мне доставить его к реке)?

I have already told you that I had made plans for this (подготовил планы для этого).