Thus goes the legend.  关于此，还有一段传说呢。 

In olden times an eagle swooped down upon the New England coast, and carried off an infant Indian in his talons.  说是很早很早以前，在新英格兰的海岸上，一只鹰突然冲了下来，叼走了一个印第安婴儿。 

With loud lament the parents saw their child borne out of sight over the wide waters.  婴儿的父母悲痛欲绝地看着老鹰叼着孩子消失在大海上，

They resolved to follow in the same direction. Setting out in their canoes, after a perilous passage they discovered the island,  他们毫不犹豫地划起独木舟追了上去。 经过千难万险，他们追到了这个岛上。

and there they found an empty ivory casket,the poor little Indian's skeleton.  在岛上他们发现了那个婴儿的一小堆儿白骨！ 

What wonder, then, that these Nantucketers, born on a beach, should take to the sea for a livelihood!  他们就是南塔开特人的祖先。

They first caught crabs and quohogs in the sand;  他们先是在海滩上捕蟹捉蛤，

grown bolder, they waded out with nets for mackerel; more experienced, they pushed off in boats and captured cod;  在浅水区拉网捕鱼，然后划上小艇到深海区作业，

and at last, launching a navy of great ships on the sea, explored this watery world;  后来造了大船，开始了大洋上的巡弋。 

put an incessant belt of circumnavigations round it; peeped in at Behring's Straits;  不停的环球航行从此拉开帷幕，而在白令海峡也有了他们的身影;

and in all seasons and all oceans declared everlasting war with the mightiest animated mass that has survived the flood;most monstrous and most mountainous!  他们一年四季漂泊在海上，同那些洪荒时代遗留下来的巨大水兽做着不屈不挠的斗争。 

That Himmalehan, salt-sea Mastodon, clothed with such portentousness of unconscious power,  庞然巨物等统统都不是他们的对手,

that his very panics are more to be dreaded than his most fearless and malicious assaults! 他们所面临的危机有时候甚至比这些无畏和恶意的攻击更可怕!