第三十四课 捕杀北美野牛
The bison was hunted on horseback both by whites and by Indians,
白人和印第安人猎杀野牛时都是骑着马,
though the sport was one in which a considerable amount of danger must be braved.
不过这很危险,需要足够的胆量。
Let us picture to ourselves a bisonhunt in the far west of North America.
我们来看一看北美西部猎杀野牛的情景吧。
Mounting our horses by break of day, after an early breakfast, we ride on with the wind in our faces,
破晓时分,吃过早餐,我们就整装上马,飞奔而行,
and at length discover across the plain a number of dark objects moving slowly. They are buffaloes, feeding as they go.
最后到达大平原,发现很多移动缓慢的黑色物体。这就是野牛,它们边走边吃草。
It is proposed that some of our party should ride round, so as to stampede the herd back towards us;
有人提议我们应该派人在周围骑行,
and by dividing them, enable us to reach the centre.
将惊恐的野牛群赶向我们;
We wait for some time, when we see a vast mass of hairy monsters come tearing over a hill towards us.
然后冲散它们,我们就能进入牛群中间。我们静候时机,等到山上大群野牛凶猛地冲向我们。
As the herd approaches us, it swings round its front, at right angles, and makes off westward.
牛群接近时,会在突然跑开,找到合适得角度就向西奔逃。
We dash forward and divide it into two parties.
我们冲上前去将牛群一分为二。
We also separate, some of our hunters following one part of the herd; the others, the remainder.
我们也分头去猎杀被分散的牛群。