Quitting the good city of old Manhatto, I duly arrived in New Bedford. It was on a Saturday night in December.  离开了古老的曼哈托城,我及时抵达新贝德福。这是十二月的一个星期六晚上。

Much was I disappointed upon learning that the little packet for Nantucket had already sailed, and that no way of reaching that place would offer, till the following Monday. 听说那只驶往南塔开特的小邮船已经开出,要到那地方,得一直等到下星期一,此外别无他法,我真大失所望。

As most young candidates for the pains and penalties of whaling stop at this same New Bedford, thence to embark on their voyage, it may as well be related that I,  大部分新手在奔赴苦刑似的捕鲸航行时,总先停在新贝德福这地方,然后再从这里出发,开始航行,

for one, had no idea of so doing.  可是,拿我来说,我却一点也没有这样的打算。

For my mind was made up to sail in no other than a Nantucket craft,  因为我已经打定主意,出航就得坐上一只南塔开特的船,

because there was a fine, boisterous something about everything connected with that famous old island, which amazingly pleased me.  因为那个著名的古岛,样样东西都那么好,又那么热闹,非常惹我喜欢。

Besides though New Bedford has of late been gradually monopolizing the business of whaling, and though in this matter poor old Nantucket is now much behind her,  再说,虽然新贝德福最近已逐渐独霸着捕鲸这行业,虽然在这方面,可怜的.古老的南塔开特现在已是大大地落在它的后面,

yet Nantucket was her great original-the Tyre of this Carthage;--the place where the first dead American whale was stranded.  然而,南塔开特终究是它的伟大的发源地...是这个迦太基的泰雅是人们把第一只美洲的死鲸拖上岸来的地方。