and the next day we were out in the open sea, on our way to Ochotsh. 隔天，我们已经驶到辽阔的海洋，朝奥绰兹进发。

The weather was very clear and fine, 天气十分晴朗，

but so intolerably cold that we were obliged to keep on our fur clothing.  只是冷得难耐，我们还不得不穿皮衣。

For some days we had very little wind; 有几天简直没有风，

it was not till the nineteenth that a brisk gale from the northwest sprang up. 直到十九日，才从西北方刮来一阵疾风。

An uncommonly large whale, the body of which was larger than the ship itself, 这时，有一条非常大的鲸，身体比船还大，

lay almost at the surface of the water, 简直就是躺在海面上，

but was not perceived by any one on board till the moment when the ship, 但是，船上的人却一个也没有看到它；

which was in full sail, was almost upon him, 直等到疾驶的船差不多要碰上它的时候才发觉，

so that it was impossible to prevent its striking against him. 所以要想不碰到它也已是不可能了。

We were thus placed in the most imminent danger, 我们就这样处于最危急的险境里，

as this gigantic creature, setting up its back, 因为这条巨大的东西，

raised the ship three feet at least out of the water.  背脊一挺，就把我们的船抛出水面至少有三英尺之高。

The masts reeled, and the sails fell altogether, 船桅都晃晃动了，篷帆也都落在一起，

while we who were below all sprang instantly upon the deck, 在下面的人都立刻奔上甲板来，

concluding that we had struck upon some rock; 以为我们已经触了礁；

instead of this we saw the monster sailing off with the utmost gravity and solemnity.  然而，我们却看到那只巨兽非常沉着而一本正经地游了开去。

Captain D'Wolf applied immediately to the pumps to examine whether or not the vessel had received any damage from the shock, 德窝尔夫船长立刻用抽水机去检查，看看船是否给撞伤了，

but we found that very happily it had escaped entirely uninjured." 结果，很幸运，我们发现完全没有受损。"

Now, the Captain D'Wolf here alluded to as commanding the ship in question, 这里所提到的统率这条船的德窝尔夫船长，

is a New Englander, who, after a long life of unusual adventures as a sea-captain, 是个新英格兰人，他在长期经历了船长的不平凡的惊险生活后，

this day resides in the village of Dorchester near Boston.  如今还住在波士顿附近的达彻斯特镇上。

I have the honor of being a nephew of his.  我有幸忝为他的外甥。

I have particularly questioned him concerning this passage in Langsdorff.  我曾经特别问到他关于兰斯多尔夫这段文章。

He substantiates every word.  他把每一个字都给证实了。

The ship, however, was by no means a large one:  不过，这艘船并不很大：

a Russian craft built on the Siberian coast,  它是在西伯利亚沿海一带造出来的俄国船，

and purchased by my uncle after bartering away the vessel in which he sailed from home. 后来我舅舅将自己从家里驶去的那艘船卖掉了，才把它买过来。

In that up and down manly book of old-fashioned adventure,  在那本一派雄赳赳气概的、记载古色古香的险遇的书本中，

so full, too, of honest wonders--the voyage of Lionel Wafer,  也记有许多朴实的奇遇，

one of ancient Dampier's old chums-- 我在从前丹皮尔(威廉.丹皮尔(１６５２—１７１５)——英国航海家，也是强盗式探险家，从小就过海上生活，到过和发现了许多地方。)的老朋友之一，莱昂内尔.韦斐(莱昂内尔.韦斐(１６６０—１７０５)——英国强盗式探险家，最后因获得英国政府宽赦而回国，一六九九年著有一本关于美洲海峡的航行记。)的航行记中——

I found a little matter set down so like that just quoted from Langsdorff,  发现那上面记的东西，有点象我刚才提到的兰斯多尔夫的一样，

that I cannot forbear inserting it here for a corroborative example, 使我不禁想把它插在这里，作为增补的例证，

if such be needed. 如果这是需要的话。