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LESSON 22 Greenland(I)
第二十二课 格陵兰岛（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.
格陵兰岛是一个巨大的岛屿，还是一个永远与冰连在一起的群岛，形成了一片比不列颠群岛大七倍的陆地，可是，它的确切范围还不清楚，因为北边的边界已经远至北冰洋以内，而且从未被开发出来。
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，美国的远征队在著名的凯恩博士指挥下，来到了格陵兰岛西海岸的一个地方，这比以前已经到达的地方往北更远了一点，已经进入了北极圈六百英里之内。他们在这里发现了一个巨大的冰川，后来命名它为洪堡冰川，就像凯恩博士所描述的，它就像是一个高耸起来的立体玻璃幕墙，比海平面要高出三百英尺！他认为这个巨大的冰川是大冰洋的最北边，几乎是整个格陵兰岛的内陆。
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.
凯恩博士的雪橇团队中的一组人员，努力爬上了冰川，可是，尽管有辅助的设备，他们既然没能按比例刻划出冰川范围。另一组向北推进，并与冰川保持平行的队伍，在离他们六英里的位置，看到了一片汪洋大海，目不可及。这片海里满是无数的海豹，北极熊和各种各样的北极鸟类。因此，看上去好像已经到了冰川的边缘，而且，北极周围可能存在着一片公海，那里海洋动物非常丰富。
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.
格陵兰岛的原住民是真正地爱斯基摩人;事实上，我们对爱斯基摩种族的认识和了解就是从他们身上得来的。我们对他们的生活习性非常熟悉，是因为这些知识都是由丹麦的殖民者和传教士在几百年前传播到世界各地；后来，由北极探险者和捕鲸的渔夫在冰天雪地的北极亲身到访。
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.
他们住在一片广阔的领域，从格陵兰岛延伸到太平洋沿岸，可是，整个爱斯基摩种族的人口大约只有五万左右，也就是不超过卡莱尔镇的人口数。
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.
爱斯基摩人的平均身高远远低于欧洲人。他们的一般身高不过五英尺，而一个六英尺的爱斯基摩人，在他们种族里已是巨人。
