17 海底森林(9)
For an hour plains of sand unrolled before our steps. Often the seafloor rose to within two meters of the surface of the water. I could then see our images clearly mirrored on the underside of the wa一ves, but reflected upside down: above us there appeared an identical band that duplicated our every movement and gesture; in short, a perfect likeness of the quartet near which it walked, but with heads down and feet in the air.
在一小时一内一，一片细沙的平原在我们脚下摆开。平原时常升至距海面不及两米的深度。我当时看见我们的影子反映在水中，清楚地现出来，方向正相反：在我们上面，现出同样的一一群一人，表演我们的动作和姿势，一切都相同，就是脑袋垂在下一面，两脚倒悬在空中。
Another unusual effect. Hea一vy clouds passed above us, forming and fading swiftly. But after thinking it over, I realized that these so-called clouds were caused simply by the changing densities of the long ground swells, and I even spotted the foaming "white caps" that their breaking crests were proliferating over the surface of the water. Lastly, I couldn't help seeing the actual shadows of large birds passing over our heads, swiftly skimming the surface of the sea.
值得记下的还有另一种情况。一阵阵的浓云飞掠过去，这些云很快地形成，也很快地消失;但仔细一想，我明白，这些所谓云只不过是海底厚薄不一的波一浪一所反映出来的。我又看到一浪一头向下折落时演成无数泡沫飞一溅的滚滚白祷，像羊一群一一样。我也见过那些在我们头上的巨大一鸟类的一陰一影，它们从海面疾飞掠过。
On this occasion I witnessed one of the finest gunshots ever to thrill the marrow of a hunter. A large bird with a wide wingspan, quite clearly visible, approached and hovered over us. When it was just a few meters above the wa一ves, Captain Nemo's companion took aim and fired. The animal dropped, electrocuted, and its descent brought it within reach of our adroit hunter, who promptly took possession of it. It was an albatross of the finest species, a wonderful specimen of these open-sea fowl.
这个时候，我亲眼看到一次射击，也许从来没有一个猎人曾经发射过这样准确、漂亮的一槍一。一只大一鸟，可以看得很清楚，两翼张得很大的飞翔前来。尼摩船长的同伴看见大一鸟在离水波仅仅几米的上面，尼摩就瞄准，射击。大一鸟被击落下来，一直掉到这位敏捷的猎人的近旁，他立即把鸟捉住。这是最美丽的一种海鹅，海鸟中最使人赞美的一个鸟类品种。