The existence of this shore seemed to bear out Commander Maury's hypotheses.
這片陸地的存在好像證明莫利的假設(shè)是對的。
In essence, this ingenious American has noted that between the South Pole and the 60th parallel, the sea is covered with floating ice of dimensions much greater than any found in the north Atlantic.
的確,這位高明的美國學(xué)者指出,在南極和緯度60度中間,海上是浮動的冰群,這些冰群非常巨大,在大西洋北部從不能碰到。
From this fact he drew the conclusion that the Antarctic Circle must contain considerable shores, since icebergs can't form on the high seas but only along coastlines.
根據(jù)這個事實,他得出這個結(jié)論,南極圈中藏有大片的陸地,因為冰山不能在大海中間形成,只在近陸地的邊岸才能存在。
According to his calculations, this frozen mass enclosing the southernmost pole forms a vast ice cap whose width must reach 4,000 kilometers.
按照他的計算,遮覆南極的冰群形成一個球形的圓蓋,這蓋的寬大可能是四千公里。
Meanwhile, to avoid running aground, the Nautilus halted three cable lengths from a strand crowned by superb piles of rocks.
可是,諾第留斯號怕擱淺,停在相距六米左右的灘前,有一片雄壯的巖石層高聳在灘上。
The skiff was launched to sea.
小艇放到海中去。
Two crewmen carrying instruments, the captain, Conseil, and I were on board.
船長、他的兩個船員帶著各種器械,康塞爾和我,我們一齊上小艇去。
It was ten o'clock in the morning. I hadn't seen Ned Land.
時間是早晨十點、我沒有看見尼德·蘭。
No doubt, in the presence of the South Pole, the Canadian hated having to eat his words.
加拿大人一定不愿意承認(rèn)南極是在他面前。
A few strokes of the oar brought the skiff to the sand, where it ran aground.
槳劃了幾下,小艇就到了沙灘上,擱淺下來。
Just as Conseil was about to jump ashore, I held him back.
康塞爾正要下地的時候,我把他拉住了。
Sir, I told Captain Nemo, to you belongs the honor of first setting foot on this shore.
先生,我對尼摩船長說,第一次腳踩這陸地的光榮應(yīng)該屬于您。
Yes, sir, the captain replied, and if I have no hesitation in treading this polar soil, it's because no human being until now has left a footprint here.
對,先生,船長回答,我所以一點不猶豫地腳踩這極圈的土地,是因為直到現(xiàn)在,還沒有一個人留下他的腳跡在這陸地上。
So saying, he leaped lightly onto the sand.
說過這話,他輕快地跳在沙灘上。
His heart must have been throbbing with intense excitement.
緊張激動的情緒使他的心跳得厲害。
He scaled an overhanging rock that ended in a small promontory and there, mute and motionless, with crossed arms and blazing eyes, he seemed to be laying claim to these southernmost regions.
他攀上一塊巖石、傾斜的巖石盡處是一個小呷,在呷上,他交叉著兩只手,熱情的眼光,不動,靜戳。他好像取得這些南極地方的所有權(quán)了。
After spending five minutes in this trance, he turned to us.
在這種極樂情緒中過了五分鐘后,他向我們轉(zhuǎn)過身來。