英语听书《海底两万里》第501期 第31章 章鱼(9)

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Our fishermen frequently see specimens¹ over 1.8 meters long.  我们现在的渔夫也经常看到一些长超过1.8米的枪乌贼。

The museums in Trieste and Montpellier have preserved some devilfish carcasses measuring two meters.  特里艾斯特和蒙特普利的博物馆，里就收藏着一些长2米的章鱼骨胳。

Besides, according to the calculations of naturalists², one of these animpas only six feet long would have tentacles³ as long as twenty-seven. 此外，按博物学家的推算，一只这样的动物，长只有6英尺，它的触须就可能长达27英尺。

Which is enough to make a fearsome monster." 这就足以让它成为可怕的怪物。”

Does anybody fish for 'em nowadays? the Canadian asked. “现在有人捕捉过吗？”加拿大人问。

If they don't fish for them, sailors at least sight them.  “即使没人捕捉过，水手至少也会看过。

A friend of mine, Captain Paul Bos of Le Havre, 我的一个朋友，哈夫尔港的保罗·保斯船长，

has often sworn to me that he encountered one of these monsters of colossal⁴ size in the seas of the East Indies. 他经常向我肯定说他在印度海里碰到一只身体巨大的怪物。

But the most astonishing event, which proves that these gigantic animals undeniably exist, took place a few years ago in 1861. 但最令人吃惊、最让人不能否认这种怪物存在的事实，是发生在几年前1861年。”

What event was that? Ned Land asked. “什么事实？”尼德·兰问。

Just this. In 1861, to the northeast of Tenerife and fairly near the latitude⁵ where we are right now,  “是这样。1861年，在特内里夫岛东北方，与我们现在所处差不多的纬度上，

the crew of the gunboat Alecto spotted⁶ a monstrous⁷ squid swimming in their waters. 护卫舰‘阿利敦号’船上的一个船员看到了一只巨大的枪乌贼在海水中游动，

Commander Bouguer approached the animal and attacked it with blows from harpoons⁸ and blasts from rifles,  他用鱼叉和枪去打它，

but without much success because bullets and harpoons crossed its soft flesh as if it were semiliquid jelly. 但没什么大用，因为鱼叉和子弹穿进它软绵绵的肉里，就像穿进松软的果冻中一样。

 

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