I could still see the smoke. Yes, and I could see some naked savages sitting around a small fire.
I counted them, and made out that there were no fewer than nine of the wretches.
They surely did not need a fire to warm themselves by, for the day was very hot. No doubt they were cooking something. Perhaps they were cannibals and were getting ready for one of their horrible feasts.
On the beach not far from them I saw the two canoes in which they had arrived.
The tide was now at its lowest. When it returned and floated the canoes, they would probably go away.
This thought made me feel much easier, for I was sure they would not wander far inland.
I waited and watched till the tide was again at the flood.
Then I saw them all get into the boats and paddle away. They seemed to be going around to the other side of the island.
I could now breathe freely again. As soon as they were well gone, I armed myself and hurried across the land to see if I could get another sight of them.
I carried two guns on my shoulder, two pistols in my belt, and a big sword at my side. You would have been frightened, had you seen me.
It was a long, hard walk. But by and by I came to the hill that overlooked the farther shore of the island.
This I climbed. I scanned sea and land with my spyglass.
Yes, there were the two canoes coming slowly around the coast.
But what was my surprise to see three other boats put off from a cove near by and hasten around to meet them!
It seemed, then, that another party of savages had been feasting at the very spot where I had seen the first footprint in the sand.
I watched the canoes until all five were far out to sea, on their way to the low-lying shore in the distant west.
Then I went down to the place where the savages had been feasting.
What a dreadful sight met my eyes! The sand was covered with blood and bones. No doubt some poor captive had been killed there and eaten.
I made up my mind that if any other savages should ever come to my island for such a feast, I would not let them enjoy it.
I gathered up the bones and buried them in the sand. Then I went slowly and sadly back to my castle.
After that I never felt quite safe at any time. I dared not fire a gun; I dared not build a fire; I dared not walk far from home.
While awake, I was always planning how to escape the savages. While asleep, I was always dreaming of dreadful things.
Yet days and months passed by, and still no other savages came.
I DISCOVER A WRECK
(я обнаруживаю корабль, потерпевший кораблекрушение)
ONE day in May a great storm burst upon the island (одним майским днем большая буря обрушилась на остров; to burst — лопаться; разрываться; взрываться; разражаться). All day and far into the night the rain fell and the wind blew (весь день и глубоко ночью: «далеко в ночь» падал = шел дождь и дул ветер; to fall — падать; to blow — дуть), the lightnings flashed (сверкали молнии), and the thunder rolled (и катился гром = раздавались раскаты грома).
But I was used to such storms (но привык к таким штормам), and I minded it but little (и не обращал на него большого внимания). I stayed home in my castle (я оставался дома в моем замке), and felt very thankful that I had a place so safe and dry and comfortable (и чувствовал благодарность: «чувствовал /себя/ благодарным» за то, что у меня было такое безопасное, сухое и удобное место; to feel — чувствовать).
I sat up quite late (я не ложился спать довольно поздно = допоздна; to sit up — не ложиться спать; засиживаться до поздней ночи; бодрствовать), reading my Bible by the light of a little lamp I had made (читая Библию при свете маленького светильника, которую я сделал), and thinking of my strange lot in life (и думая о моем странной жребии в жизни). Suddenly I heard a sound which I felt sure was the noise of a gun fired at sea (вдруг я услышал звук, который, я чувствовал, наверняка был шумом ружья, выстрелившего в море).
I started up quickly (я быстро вскочил). I threw on my raincoat (я набросил дождевик) and mounted to my lookout on the top of the great rock (и взобрался на смотровую площадку на вершине большой скалы).
The rain had stopped and the wind was going down (дождь прекратился, и ветер стихал). It was now past midnight (было уже за полночь), and very dark (и очень темно).
A moment after I had reached my place (через мгновение после того, как я добрался до места) there was a flash of light that caused me to stop (была вспышка света, которая заставила меня остановится) and listen for another gun (и прислушаться, не будет ли еще /ружейного/ выстрела).
In a few seconds I heard it (через несколько секунд я услышал его). It seemed to come from that part of the sea (он, казалось, донесся с той части моря) where I was once caught by the strong current (где я был однажды захвачен сильным потоком; to catch — ловить) and driven far out in my boat (и отнесен далеко /в море/ в моей лодке; to drive — гнать).
I knew at once that the shots were fired from some ship in distress (я сразу понял, что выстрелы стрелялись с какого-то корабля в бедствии). Perhaps she was being driven upon the shore by the wind and waves (возможно, он /корабль — в англ. языке это слово женского рода/ был относим на берег ветром и волнами). Could I do anything to help the poor men on board (мог ли я сделать что-либо, чтобы помочь бедным людям на борту)?
With great labor and danger to myself (с большим трудом и опасностью для себя) I gathered some sticks and brush into a pile on the rock and set it on fire (я собрал палки и ветки в кучу на скале и поджег их).
The wood was not dry (дрова были не сухими), but when the fire was once kindled (но когда костер был разведен) it blazed up fiercely (он разгорелся неистово/яростно: «свирепо») and cast a light over all the rocks and trees about me (и отбрасывал свет на все скалы и деревья вокруг меня).
I felt sure that if there were sailors on the ship (я чувствовал уверенность, что если на корабле были моряки), they could not help but see it (они не могли не увидеть его /костер/). And no doubt they did see it (и без сомнения, они увидели его), for I soon heard another gun (так как вскоре я услышал другое ружье = другой выстрел).
All night long I kept the fire burning (всю ночь напролет я сохранял огонь горящим = поддерживал огонь); but no other sound besides the wind did I hear (но никаких других звуков, кроме ветра, я не слышал).
When it was broad day (когда наступил день; broad — широкий) and the mists had cleared away (и туман рассеялся: «дымки прояснились»), I turned my spyglass toward that part of the sea from which the sounds came (я обратил мою подзорную трубу в ту сторону, откуда доносились звуки; to turn — поворачивать; toward — /по направлению/ к).
Far away from the shore there was surely something (далеко от берега определенно что-то было); but whether it was a wreck or a ship under sail (но был ли это корабль, потерпевший кораблекрушение, или корабль под парусом), I could not tell (я не мог различить). The distance was too great (расстояние было слишком большим).
I watched it from time to time all day (я смотрел на него время от времени весь день). It did not move (он не двигался).
"It must be a ship at anchor (должно быть, это корабль на якоре)," I said to myself (сказал я себе = подумал я).
Early the next morning (рано следующим утром) I took my gun and went down toward that side of the island where the current had once caught me (я взял свое ружье и спустился к той стороне острова, где поток однажды захватил меня). When I had come to the shore there (когда я пришел к тому берегу: «к берегу там»), I climbed upon some rocks and looked out over the sea (я взобрался на скалы и выглянул на море).
The air was very clear now (воздух был теперь очень ясным), and I could plainly see the ship (и я мог отчетливо видеть корабль).
She was not at anchor (он был не на якоре). She was fast on some great rocks of which there were many in that part of the sea (он застрял на больших рифах, которых было много в этой части моря; fast — крепкий).
I saw that the masts of the vessel were broken (я увидел, что мачты судна были сломаны; to break — ломать), and that her hull was lying more than halfway out of the water (и что его корпус лежал более чем наполовину вне воды).
I thought of the sailors who must have been on board (я подумал о моряках, которые должны были бы быть на борту), and wondered if any had escaped (и задавался вопросом, спасся ли кто-нибудь). It seemed impossible (казалось невозможным) that any could have reached the shore through the furious sea (что кто-то смог добраться до берега через свирепое море) that was raging during the storm (которое бушевало во время шторма; rage — ярость, гнев, бешенство; to rage — беситься, злиться; быть в ярости, в гневе; бушевать, свирепствовать /о буре, эпидемии, страстях и т. п./).
"Oh, that one had been saved (вот если бы кто-нибудь спасся)!" I cried as I walked up and down the shore (восклицал я, ходя из стороны в сторону по берегу).
I wrung my hands (я ломал: «скручивал» руки; to wring — крутить, скручивать, выламывать; to wring one's hands — ломать себе руки), my lips were firmly set (мои губы были жестко сомкнуты: «крепко установлены»), my eyes were full of tears (мои глаза полны слез).
