I had been now in this unhappy Island above 10 Months, all Possibility of Deliverance from this Condition, seemed to be entirely taken from me; [qh]
我在荒岛上已有十个多月了,获救的可能性几乎等于零
and I firmly believed, that no humane Shape had ever set Foot upon that Place: [qh]
我有充分理由相信,在我之前,从未有人上过这孤岛
Having now secured my Habitation, as I thought, fully to my Mind, I had a great Desire to make a more perfect Discovery of the Island, and to see what other Productions I might find, which I yet knew nothing of. [qh]
现在,我已按自己的意愿安排好了住所,就很想进一步了解这座小岛,并看看岛上还有什么我尚未发现的物产
It was the 15th of July that I began to take a more particular Survey of the Island it self: [qh]
七月十五日,我开始对这个小岛作更详细的勘察
I went up the Creek first, where, as I hinted, I brought my Rafts on Shore; [qh]
我先走到那条小河边
I found after I came about two Miles up, that the Tide did not flow any higher, and that it was no more than a little Brook of running Water, and very fresh and good; [qh]
我沿河而上走了约两英里,发现海潮最远只能到达这里
but this being the dry Season, there was hardly any Water in some Parts of it, at least, not enough to run in any Stream, so as it could be perceived. [qh]
现在适值旱季,溪里有些地方连一滴水也没有;即使有的话,也汇不成水流
On the Bank of this Brook I found many pleasant Savana's, or Meadows; plain, smooth, and covered with Grass; [qh]
在小溪旁,是一片片可爱的草地,平坦匀净,绿草如茵;[qh]
and on the rising Parts of them next to the higher Grounds, where the Water, as it might be supposed, never overflowed I found a great deal of Tobacco, green, and growing to great and very strong Stalk; [qh]
在紧靠高地的那些地势较高的地方(显然,这儿是河水泛滥不到的地方),长着许多烟草,绿油油的,茎秆又粗又长
there were divers other Plants which I had no Notion of, or Understanding about, and might perhaps have Vertues of their own, which I could find out. [qh]
附近还有其他各种各样的植物,可惜我都不认识
I searched for the Cassava Root, which the Indians in all that climate make their Bread of, but I could find I saw large Plants of Alloes, but did not then understand them. [qh]
我到处寻找木薯,那是热带印第安人用来做面包的植物,可是没有找到
I saw several Sugar Canes,but wild, and for Cultivation, imperfect. [qh]
我还看到一些甘蔗,因为是野生的,未经人工栽培,所以不太好吃
I contented myself with these Discoveries for this Time, and came back musing with myself what Course I might take to know the Vertue and Goodness of any of the Fruits or Plants which I should discover; but could bring it to no Conclusion; [qh]
我感到这回发现的东西已不少了
for in short, I had made so little Observation while I wad in the Brasils, that I knew little of the Plants in the Field, at least very little that might serve me to any Purpose now in my Distress. [qh]
我在巴西时不曾注意观察野生植物,如今陷入困境也就无法加以利用了