海底两万里第 69期 第6章 开足马力(11)

The crew were waiting impatiently for orders from their leader. The latter, after carefully observing the animal, called for his engineer. The engineer raced over.

船上人员等他们首长的命令等得不耐烦了。舰长注意地观察了这个动物后，叫来了工程师。工程师跑来了。

Sir, the commander said, are you up to pressure?

舰长问:先生，气压足了吗?

Aye, sir, the engineer replied.

足了，先生。工程师答。

Fine. Stoke your furnaces and clap on full steam!

好，增大火力，全力驶去!

Three cheers greeted this order. The hour of battle had sounded.

大家欢呼三声来迎接这道命令。战斗的号角响了。

A few moments later, the frigate's two funnels vomited torrents of black smoke, and its deck quaked from the trembling of its boilers.

过了一些时候，战舰上两个烟囱吐出一道一道的黑烟，甲板在汽锅的震动下震动起来。

Driven forward by its powerful propeller, the Abraham Lincoln headed straight for the animal.

林肯号在机轮的猛力推送下，一直向这怪物冲去，这怪物一点也不在意，

Unconcerned, the latter let us come within half a cable length; then, not bothering to dive, it got up a little speed, retreated, and was content to keep its distance.

战舰离它半锚链左右的时候，它还不潜入水中，仅略作逃避的样子，不走远，只是保持着这样的距离。

This chase dragged on for about three-quarters of an hour without the frigate gaining twofathoms on the cetacean.

这样若即若离的追逐，延长了三刻钟左右，就是战舰想多接近这条鲸鱼四米也不可能。

At this rate, it was obvious that we would never catch up with it.很明白，这样迫下去，永远追不上它。