美國語文第四冊 第116期：長頸鹿（02）
Le Vaillant (the celebrated French traveler and naturalist) was the first who gave us any exact account of the form and habits of the giraffe.
勒.瓦揚（法國著名旅行家和博物學家）是第一個為我們精確描述長頸鹿的外形和生活習性的人。
While he was traveling in South Africa, he happened one day to discover a hut covered with the skin of one of those animals;
他在南非旅行時，一天碰巧發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個棚屋上覆蓋著長頸鹿的鹿皮；
and learned to his surprise that he was now in a part of the country where the creature was found.
他驚訝地了解到這里就是發(fā)現(xiàn)長頸鹿的地方。
He could not rest contented until he had seen the animal alive, and had secured a specimen.
除非親自看到野生的長頸鹿，取得標本，否則他無法安心。
Having on several days obtained sight of some of them, he, with his attendants, on horseback and accompaniedwith dogs, gave chase; but they baffled all pursuit.
后來有幾天他看到了一些長頸鹿，因此他和助手騎著馬，帶著獵犬，開始追蹤；但是沒有追到。
After a chase of a whole day, which effected nothing but the fatigue of the party, he began to despair of success.
后來在追了整整一天后，隊伍疲勞極了卻一無所獲，他開始喪失信心了。
"The next day," says he, "by sunrise, I was in pursuit of game, in the hope of obtaining some provisions formy men.
“第二天，”他說，“黎明的時候，我正在追逐獵物，希望為我們的人弄一些吃的。
After several hours' fatigue, we saw, at the turn of a hill, seven giraffes, which my pack of dogs instantlypursued.
幾個小時后，在一個山丘的拐彎處，我們見到七只長頸鹿，獵犬立刻追過去。
Six of them went off together; but the seventh, cut off by my dogs, took another way.
六只長頸鹿一起奔跑；但是第七只長頸鹿被獵犬攔截，向另一個方向跑去。
