I learn that I am on an island (я узнаю, что я на острове)

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I CARRY SOME THINGS ASHORE

IT was now past noon, and the tide was coming in. I could not stop to rest.

"I have food, I have clothing, I have tools," I said to myself. "What do I need next?"

Then I thought of the wild animals and wild men that I might meet on the shore. "How shall I protect myself from them?" I said.

In the captain's room I found two good guns with a bag of shot and a powderhorn. There were also two old swords, very rusty and dull, and a pair of big pistols.

By looking around, I found also three small kegs of powder. Two of these were dry, but the other was wet and good for nothing.

It took more than an hour to get all these safely placed on my raft. I now had quite a heavy load, and I began to wonder how I should take it to the shore.

I had no oars nor any sail for my raft. But the water was smooth, the tide was flowing in, and a gentle wind was blowing toward the land.

I loosed the rope that held the raft to the ship, and soon began my little voyage.

The tide was now so high that the dry land was much farther away than when I came out. But the raft floated smoothly along, and drew nearer and nearer to the shore.

Just as I thought myself safe, I found that I was entering a strong current which carried me into a narrow bay far from my first landing place.

There the raft stuck fast on an ugly sand bar, and was like to be tipped over.

But the tide was still rising. Soon the raft floated free and glided slowly along again with the current.

In a short time I found that I was being carried up into a little river with high banks on each side.

With a piece of plank for an oar I pushed the raft toward the shore on my right. The water was now so shallow that I could reach the bottom.

The raft floated slowly onward until it reached a little cove into which I pushed it. The water there was quite still.

I looked around for a place to land. But the banks were steep, and if I ran one end of my raft upon the shore, the other end might sink so low as to slide all my goods into the water.

The best I could do was to wait till the tide was at its highest. Then I might push a little farther inland where the bank was somewhat lower.

This I did.

The tide rose higher and higher. At last, to my joy, the water reached the top of the bank. It covered a level spot of ground beyond.

I waited a little longer. The water on the level space was a foot deep. The tide was beginning to flow out.

With all my might I pushed the raft into this shallow place. The tide ebbed fast. Soon the raft was left high and dry on the land.

It was easy now to unload the goods and carry them to a safe place.

THE sun was still two hours high (солнце показывало еще только два часа). I was very tired after my day's work (усталым после дневной работы), but I could not rest (отдыхать). I wanted to know what sort of place I was in (в какого рода месте я был). I wondered whether I was on an island or on a continent (я задавался вопросом, был ли я на острове или на материке).

About half a mile from the shore there was a large hill (примерно в половине мили от берега был большой холм). It was steep and high (крутой и высокий) and seemed to overlook all the country (и, казалось, обозревает всю местность = возвышается над всей местностью).

I thought that if I could get to the top of that hill (если бы мог добраться до вершины) I might see (увидел бы) what kind of country I was in.

So I put one of the pistols in my belt (сунул один из пистолетов за ремень), and one of the guns on my shoulder (одно из ружей на плечо). I also hung the powder-horn (повесил пороховницу, сделанную из рога) on my neck (на шею) and put a handful of small shot in my pocket (положил горсть маленькой дроби в карман).

Thus armed (так вооружившись), I set out for the big hill (отправился к большому холму).

There were but a few shrubs or trees (только несколько кустов или деревьев) in my way, and the walking was easy (восхождение было легким). In less than a quarter of an hour I was at my journey's end (менее чем через четверть часа я закончил поход).

The sides of the hill were not rough (склоны холма были не неровными = довольно гладкими; rough — жесткий; неровный), but they were quite steep (довольно крутыми).

Soon I was at the very top. What a grand lookout it was (какое потрясающее зрелище: «обзор, панорама» это было)!

North, south, east, west (север, юг, восток, запад), the land and the sea were spread out before me (земля и море простирались передо мной).

The sea did I say (море сказал я)?

Yes, I was on an island, and the sea was all around (море было везде вокруг).

No other land was in sight (в пределах видимости) except two small islands and some great rocks (больших скал) that lifted themselves out of the water (поднимались).

I saw that my island was not very large (большим). Perhaps it was ten miles broad (десять миль шириной); perhaps it was twenty. I had no good idea of distances (не имел четкого представления о расстояниях).

There was no house nor sign of life anywhere (ни дома, ни признака жизни нигде). There might be wild beasts in the woods (дикие звери в лесу); but I was sure that no men lived there (был уверен, никакие люди не жили там).

The thought of being alone (мысль бытия одним = мысль о том, что я был один) on a desert island (на пустынном острове) made me feel very sad (заставила меня почувствовать себя очень грустно).

I should have been glad (должен был бы быть рад = должно быть, был бы рад) at that moment to see even the face of a savage (даже увидеть лицо дикаря).

But I dared not stay long (не решился стоять долго) on the hilltop (на вершине холма). I hurried to get back to my raft (поспешил добраться обратно до плота) before the sun should go down (пока не зашло солнце).

At the foot of the hill I saw a great bird (большую птицу) sitting in a tree. I thought it to be some kind of a hawk (какой-то вид ястреба) and shot it (подстрелил; to shoot).

The sound of the gun echoed strangely (отдался cтранным эхом) among the rocks and trees. Never before had such a sound been heard there (никогда раньше такой звук не слышался там).

I picked up the bird (подобрал птицу).

It was no hawk. It had no sharp claws nor hooked beak (не имел ни острых когтей, ни клюва крючком). Its flesh was unfit to eat (ее мясо было непригодным для еды), and I threw it away (выбросил; to throw).

The sun had set and it was almost dark (солнце зашло и было почти темно) when I got back to the inlet (к бухте) where my raft was lying (лежал). I did not know where to go for the night (куда пойти на ночь), nor where to find a resting place (ни где найти место для отдыха, привала = для ночлега).

But the day being gone (но, т.к день прошел), there was no time for thinking.

I made a kind of hut (подобие лачуги) with the chests (из ящиков) and the loose boards (отдельных, разрозненных досок) from the raft. Then I crept inside (влез внутрь; to creep — влезать, пробираться, ползти) and lay down to rest (и лег отдохнуть; to rest — отдыхать; покоиться).

For a little while (в течение небольшого времени) I listened to every sound (прислушивался к каждому звуку). At length I fell asleep (заснул) and knew nothing more until broad daylight the next morning (не узнал ничего больше до яркого дневного света следующим утром = забылся сном и проснулся, когда было уже совсем светло).

country [kΛntri] journey [dʒə:ni] savage [‘sævidʒ]

I LEARN THAT I AM ON AN ISLAND

THE sun was still two hours high. I was very tired after my day's work, but I could not rest. I wanted to know what sort of place I was in. I wondered whether I was on an island or on a continent.

About half a mile from the shore there was a large hill. It was steep and high and seemed to overlook all the country.

I thought that if I could get to the top of that hill I might see what kind of country I was in.

So I put one of the pistols in my belt, and one of the guns on my shoulder. I also hung the powder-horn from my neck and put a handful of small shot in my pocket.

Thus armed, I set out for the big hill.

There were but a few shrubs or trees in my way, and the walking was easy. In less than a quarter of an hour I was at my journey's end.

The sides of the hill were not rough, but they were quite steep.

Soon I was at the very top. What a grand lookout it was!

North, south, east, west, the land and the sea were spread out before me.

The sea did I say?

Yes, I was on an island, and the sea was all around.

No other land was in sight except two small islands and some great rocks that lifted themselves out of the water.

I saw that my island was not very large. Perhaps it was ten miles broad; perhaps it was twenty. I had no good idea of distances.

There was no house nor sign of life anywhere. There might be wild beasts in the woods; but I was sure that no men lived there.

The thought of being alone on a desert island made me feel very sad.

I should have been glad at that moment to see even the face of a savage.

But I dared not stay long on the hilltop. I hurried to get back to my raft before the sun should go down.

At the foot of the hill I saw a great bird sitting in a tree. I thought it to be some kind of a hawk and shot it.

The sound of the gun echoed strangely among the rocks and trees. Never before had such a sound been heard there.

I picked up the bird.

It was no hawk. It had no sharp claws nor hooked beak. Its flesh was unfit to eat, and I threw it away.

The sun had set and it was almost dark when I got back to the inlet where my raft was lying. I did not know where to go for the night, nor where to find a resting place.

But the day being gone, there was no time for thinking.

I made a kind of hut with the chests and the loose boards from the raft. Then I crept inside and lay down to rest.

For a little while I listened to every sound. At length I fell asleep and knew nothing more until broad daylight the next morning.

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