and the frigate entered one of the dangerous passes of the shoals, in the heat of a severely contested battle. 在战事最为白热化阶段，水兵们全然不知美军防卫舰已驶入最危险的滩涂地带，一场灭顶之灾咫尺之遥。

　　The wondering looks of a few of the older sailors glanced at the sheets of foam that flew by them, 炮声间隙中，突然船底水流清晰不安的冲刷声，让几位老水手好生疑惑，他们匆忙中发现，

　　in doubt whether the wild gambols of the waves were occasioned by the shot of the enemy, 军舰疾驶过的水域几乎无法激起涌浪，不由心中疑惑，

　　when suddenly the noise of cannon was succeeded by the sullen wash of the disturbed element, 是否敌舰炮弹造成海浪的消失？此刻，炮声歇息了但海浪的冲刷声令人令严躁不安。

　　and presently the vessel glided out of her smoky shroud, and was boldly steering in the center of the narrow passages. 不一会，军舰悄悄地驶出那片烟雾缭绕、充满裹尸布气息的恐怖海域，终于，在那条极为狭窄的通道中勇敢地转舵成功。

　　For ten breathless minutes longer the Pilot continued to hold an uninterrupted sway, 十分钟窒息时光，似乎如此漫长，领航员冷静沉着地指挥，

　　during which the vessel ran swiftly by ripples and breakers, by streaks of foam and darker passages of deep water, 军舰迅速地转向，一路上浪花不惊，危机四伏，渐渐地浪花变大，最后驶入海水颜色渐深的海域，

　　when he threw down his trumpet and exclaimed—What threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. 领航员突然扔下喇叭，发出大声尖叫， 说，拯救顺利啦！我们终于将要摆脱死亡的魔爪！

　　Keep yonder hill crowned with wood one point open from the church tower at its base, and steer east and by north; 注意那边林木茂密的山顶，就是那处冒出教堂塔尖的地方，注意转舵，保持朝东偏北的航线方向，

　　you will run through these shoals on that course in an hour, 一小时后，我们就能穿过这片危险的滩涂地带。

　　and by so doing you will gain five leagues of your enemy, who will have to double their trail. 这样看来，我舰就会比敌舰快五海里，他们路程肯定会增倍。

　　Every officer in the ship, after the breathless suspense of uncertainty had passed, 船上官兵人人无不屏住呼吸，等到熬过这段艰险万分的航程后，

　　rushed to those places where a view might be taken of their enemies. 大家纷纷冲到最佳位置，寻找可以清楚看清敌舰方位的地方。