海底两万里 第357期 第23章 珊瑚王国(56)
Aha! the Canadian put in. This beast offers the added luxury of being good to eat?
啊！加拿大人喊道，这东西原来还是好吃的珍品吗？
Yes, Mr. Land. Its flesh is actual red meat, highly prized, and set aside throughout Malaysia for the tables of aristocrats.
是的，兰师傅。它的肉是真正好吃的肉，极端被重视，在马来群岛，人们都把它保留起来作为全公餐桌上的食品。
Accordingly, this excellent animal has been hunted so bloodthirstily that, like its manatee relatives, it has become more and more scarce.
所以人们对这种好东西要拼命猎取，对它的同类海牛也是一样，因此就弄得这类动物日渐稀少了。
In that case, captain, Conseil said in all seriousness, on the offchance that this creature might be the last of its line, wouldn't it be advisable to spare its life, in the interests of science?
那么，船长，康塞尔很正经地说，如果这条海马竟是它种族中的最后一条，为科学的利益起见，放过它，不是比、较好些吗？
Maybe, the Canadian answered, it would be better to hunt it down, in the interests of mealtime.
或者好些，加拿大人回答，不过为膳食的利益起见，那还是打它好些。
Then proceed, Mr. Land, Captain Nemo replied.
兰师傅，您打吧。尼摩船长回答道。
Just then, as mute and emotionless as ever, seven crewmen climbed onto the platform.
这个时候，船上的七个船员，老是不作声和无知觉似的，到平台上来。
One carried a harpoon and line similar to those used in whale fishing. Its deck paneling opened, the skiff was wrenched from its socket and launched to sea.
一个人拿一支鱼叉和一根跟钓鲸鱼用的相同的钩竿。小艇松开来，从它的窝中拉出，放到海中去。
Six rowers sat on the thwarts, and the coxswain took the tiller. Ned, Conseil, and I found seats in the stern.
六个桨手坐在横木板上，小艇艇长手把着舵。尼德，兰、康塞尔和我，我们三人坐在后面。
Aren't you coming, captain? I asked.
船长，您不来吗？我问。
No, sir, but I wish you happy hunting.
不，先生，我祝你们打海马胜利。
The skiff pulled clear, and carried off by its six oars, it headed swiftly toward the dugong, which by then was floating two miles from the Nautilus.
小艇离开大船，六支桨把它划走，很快向海马驶去，那时海马正在距诺第留斯号二海里的海而上游来游去。
Arriving within a few cable lengths of the cetacean, our longboat slowed down, and the sculls dipped noiselessly into the tranquil waters.
到了距离这鲸科动物还有几盲米远的时候，小艇就慢慢地走，奖没有声息地放到平静的水中去。
Harpoon in hand, Ned Land went to take his stand in the skiff's bow.
尼德兰手拎鱼叉，站在小艇前端。
Harpoons used for hunting whales are usually attached to a very long rope that pays out quickly when the wounded animal drags it with him.
用来打鲸鱼的鱼叉，通常是结在一条很长的绳索一端，受伤的动物把叉带走的时候，绳索就很快地放出去。
But this rope measured no more than about ten fathoms, and its end had simply been fastened to a small barrel that, while floating, would indicate the dugong's movements beneath the waters.
但现在这根索只有二十米左右长，它的另一端结在一个小木桶上面，小木桶浮着，指示海马在水里面走的道路。
