美国学生历史 第10期:法国殖民者和传教士和探险者(2)

 　　28. The French on the Great Lakes. 28．法国人与五大湖

　　Champlain was the first of many French discoverers. 尚普兰是发现五大湖的众多法国人中的第一个，

　　Some of these were missionaries¹ who left home and friends to bring the blessings² of Christianity to the Red Men of the western world. 这些法国人当中，一些是离开亲友向生活在西方世界的美洲印第安人传播基督福音的传教士，

　　Others were fur-traders, while still others were men who came to the wilderness³ in search of excitement. 一些是皮货商，还有一些是到蛮荒地带寻求刺激的人。

　　These French discoverers found Lake Superior and Lake Michigan; 这些法国发现者发现了苏必利尔湖和密歇根湖，

　　they even reached the headwaters of the Wisconsin River—a branch of the Mississippi. 他们甚至到了威斯康星河的上游，这条河是密西西比河的一个分支。

　　29. The French Missionaries. 29．法国传教士

　　The most active of the French missionaries were the Jesuits. They built stations on the shores of the Great Lakes. 法国传教士中最活跃的是耶稣会信徒，他们在五大湖畔建立站点，

　　They made long expeditions to unknown regions. Some of them were killed by those whom they tried to convert to Christianity. 向未知地区做长途探险，他们当中，有的人试图让一些人皈依基督教，却被杀死；

　　Others were robbed and left to starve. Others still were tortured and cruelly abused. 有的人被抢劫而忍饥挨饿，还有的人被拷打，受尽虐待。

　　But the prospect⁴ of starvation, torture, and death only made them more eager to carry on their great work. 但是，饥饿、拷打和死亡只能使得他们更加渴望继续去完成他们的伟大使命。

　　30. The Iroquois. 30．易洛魁族人

　　The strongest of all the Indian tribes were the nations who formed the League of the Iroquois. 印第安部族中最强大的是那些结成易洛魁族人联盟的人，

　　Ever since Champlain fired upon them they hated the sight of a Frenchman. 自从尚普兰向他们发起攻击以来，他们就憎恨法国人。

　　On the other hand, they looked upon the Dutch and the English as their friends. 另一方面，他们把荷兰人和英国人当作朋友，

　　French missionaries tried to convert them to Christianity as they had converted the St. Lawrence Indians. 法国传教士试图如同在圣劳伦斯那样说服印第安人皈依基督教，

　　But the Iroquois saw in this only another attempt at French conquest. 但是，易洛魁族人把这种努力视为法国征服他们的另一种方式。

　　So they hung red-hot stones about the missionaries' necks, or they burned them to death, or they cut them to pieces while yet living. 因此，他们在传教士的脖子上挂上烧红的石头，或者将传教士烧死，或者将他们活活地碎尸万段。

　　For a century and a half the Iroquois stood between the Dutch and English settlers and their common enemies in Canada. 150年的时间里，易洛魁族人生活在荷兰人、英国人和他们在加拿大的共同敌人之间。

　　Few events, in American history, therefore, have had such great consequences as Champlain's unprovoked attacks upon the Iroquois. 因此，在美国历史上，很少有哪个事件如同尚普兰无故攻击易洛魁族人这样产生巨大影响。

1 missionaries   

n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some missionaries came from England in the Qing Dynasty. 清朝时，从英国来了一些传教士。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The missionaries rebuked the natives for worshipping images. 传教士指责当地人崇拜偶像。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。