Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо

холма). I hurried to get back to my raft (поспешил добраться обратно до плота) before

the sun should go down (пока не зашло солнце).

At the foot of the hill I saw a great bird (большую птицу) sitting in a tree. I

thought it to be some kind of a hawk (какой-то вид ястреба) and shot it (подстрелил; to

shoot).

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The sound of the gun echoed strangely (отдался cтранным эхом) among the

rocks and trees. Never before had such a sound been heard there (никогда раньше такой

звук не слышался там).

I picked up the bird (подобрал птицу).

It was no hawk. It had no sharp claws nor hooked beak (не имел ни острых

когтей, ни клюва крючком). Its flesh was unfit to eat (ее мясо было непригодным для

еды), and I threw it away (выбросил; to throw).

The sun had set and it was almost dark (солнце зашло и было почти темно)

when I got back to the inlet (к бухте) where my raft was lying (лежал). I did not know

where to go for the night (куда пойти на ночь), nor where to find a resting place (ни где

найти место для отдыха, привала = для ночлега).

But the day being gone (но, т.к день прошел), there was no time for thinking.

I made a kind of hut (подобие лачуги) with the chests (из ящиков) and the loose

boards (отдельных, разрозненных досок) from the raft. Then I crept inside (влез

внутрь; to creep — влезать, пробираться, ползти) and lay down to rest (и лег

отдохнуть; to rest — отдыхать; покоиться).

For a little while (в течение небольшого времени) I listened to every sound

(прислушивался к каждому звуку). At length I fell asleep (заснул) and knew nothing

more until broad daylight the next morning (не узнал ничего больше до яркого

дневного света следующим утром = забылся сном и проснулся, когда было уже

совсем светло).

country [kntri] journey [d

:ni] savage [‘saevid]

I LEARN THAT I AM ON AN ISLAND

THE sun was still two hours high. I was very tired after my day's work, but I

could not rest. I wanted to know what sort of place I was in. I wondered whether I was on

an island or on a continent.

About half a mile from the shore there was a large hill. It was steep and high and

seemed to overlook all the country.

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38

I thought that if I could get to the top of that hill I might see what kind of country

I was in.

So I put one of the pistols in my belt, and one of the guns on my shoulder. I also

hung the powder-horn from my neck and put a handful of small shot in my pocket.

Thus armed, I set out for the big hill.

There were but a few shrubs or trees in my way, and the walking was easy. In less

than a quarter of an hour I was at my journey's end.

The sides of the hill were not rough, but they were quite steep.

Soon I was at the very top. What a grand lookout it was!

North, south, east, west, the land and the sea were spread out before me.

The sea did I say?

Yes, I was on an island, and the sea was all around.

No other land was in sight except two small islands and some great rocks that

lifted themselves out of the water.

I saw that my island was not very large. Perhaps it was ten miles broad; perhaps it

was twenty. I had no good idea of distances.

There was no house nor sign of life anywhere. There might be wild beasts in the

woods; but I was sure that no men lived there.

The thought of being alone on a desert island made me feel very sad.

I should have been glad at that moment to see even the face of a savage.

But I dared not stay long on the hilltop. I hurried to get back to my raft before the

sun should go down.

At the foot of the hill I saw a great bird sitting in a tree. I thought it to be some

kind of a hawk and shot it.

The sound of the gun echoed strangely among the rocks and trees. Never before

had such a sound been heard there.

I picked up the bird.

It was no hawk. It had no sharp claws nor hooked beak. Its flesh was unfit to eat,

and I threw it away.

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www

. f ranklang . r u

39

The sun had set and it was almost dark when I got back to the inlet where my raft

was lying. I did not know where to go for the night, nor where to find a resting place.

But the day being gone, there was no time for thinking.

I made a kind of hut with the chests and the loose boards from the raft. Then I

crept inside and lay down to rest.

For a little while I listened to every sound. At length I fell asleep and knew

nothing more until broad daylight the next morning.

I HAVE A STRANGE VISITOR (я имею = принимаю странного посетителя)

THE next morning, when the tide was at its lowest (когда прилив был на самом

низком уровне) I swam out to the ship again.

There were still many things on board (много вещей на борту) of it that might be

useful to me in my island home (которые могли бы быть полезны в моем островном

доме). I wished to save all that I could (хотел сохранить все, что мог).

I climbed up the ship's side just as I had done the day before (точно так же, как я