Then between and around these stakes I laid the great ropes that I had brought
from the ship. Among these I twined the slender branches of trees and long grapevines
that I found in the woods.
When all was finished I had a wall nearly six feet high. It was so strong that
nothing could break through it.
I made no door in the wall. The only way in which to get into the yard behind it
was by going over the top. This was done by climbing a short ladder which I could lift up
after me, and then let down again.
How safe I felt now, as I stood inside of my castle wall!
Over this wall I next carried all my riches, food, my tools, my boxes of clothing.
Then, right against the great rock, I made me a large tent to shelter me from the rain.
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Into this tent I brought everything that would be spoiled by getting wet. In the
middle of it I swung the hammock that I had brought from the ship. For you must
remember that I was a sailor, and I could sleep better in a hammock than on a bed.
The hollow place in the rock was just as I hoped. It was, indeed, a large cleft or
crack, filled only with earth and small stones.
With such tools as I had I began to dig the earth and stones away. I carried them
out through my tent and piled them up along the inside of my wall.
In a few days I had made quite a cave which would serve very well as a cellar to
my castle.
I called the cave my kitchen; but when I began my cooking I found it best to do
most of that work outside.
In bad weather, however, the kitchen was an excellent place to live in.
I GO A-HUNTING (я иду на охоту; to hunt — охотиться)
WEEKS and weeks passed before my castle was finished (недели и недели
прошли до того, как мой замок был завершен).
I did not work at it all the time (не работал все время). Almost, every day I went
out with my gun to see what I could find (почти каждый день я выходил со своим
ружьем, чтобы увидеть, что я мог найти = поискать что-нибудь).
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The very first day (в самый первый день) I saw a flock of goats (стадо коз).
How glad I was (рад)!
But they were very shy and very swift (очень пугливыми и быстрыми). As soon
as they saw me (как только они увидали меня) they ran away in great fright (убежали в
большом страхе).
After that, I saw them nearly every day (почти каждый день). But it was hard to
get near them (но было трудно подобраться к ним близко).
One morning I saw an old goat feeding (старую козу, кормящую) in the valley
with a kid by her side (в долине с ребенком /козленком/ рядом с ней). I crept along
among the rocks (пробрался между камнями) in such a way (так, таким образом) that
she did not see me.
When I was close enough (близко достаточно), I raised my gun and fired
(выстрелил). The mother goat fell (упала), being killed at once by the shot (будучи
убитой выстрелом сразу).
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It was a cruel deed (это был жестокий поступок), and I felt indeed sorry for the
poor beast (я чувствовал жалость к бедному животному). But how else (но как еще)
should I find food for myself in that lonely place (в этом уединенном месте)?
The kid did not run away (не убежал). It stood quite still (стоял совсем
неподвижно) by its mother's side. When I picked up the old goat and carried her to my
castle, the little one followed me (маленький пошел за мной).
I lifted it over the wall. I thought I would tame it (я думал, что смогу приручить
его), and keep it as a pet (и держать как домашнее животное).
But it would not eat (он не хотел есть). I could do no better than kill it and use it
for my own food (я не мог сделать ничего лучше, как убить его и использовать для
моей еды).
The flesh (мясо) of these two goats lasted me a long time (служило:
«продолжалось» мне долгое время); for I did not eat much meat (не ел много мяса),
and I still had many of the biscuits (печенья) that I had saved from the ship.
About a month later I shot at a young goat and lamed it (выстрелил в молодую
козу и покалечил ее, сделал хромой; lame — хромой). I caught it and carried it home
(поймал и принес домой; to catch — ловить), dressed its wounded leg (перевязал
раненую ногу), and fed it (и накормил; to feed).
Its leg was soon as well and as strong as ever (нога скоро была такой же
здоровой и крепкой, как всегда). The little animal became quite tame (маленькое
животное стало вполне прирученным) and followed me everywhere I went (следовало
за мной, куда бы я не шел).
I thought how fine it would be if I could have a whole flock of such creatures (как
хорошо было бы иметь целое стадо таких созданий, тварей, животных). Then I
would be sure of food when my powder and shot were gone (тогда я был бы спокоен за
еду, когда мой порох и дробь закончатся).
afterward [‘a:ftəwəd] creature [kri:t ə
ʃ ] wounded [wu:ndid] fright [frait]
I GO A-HUNTING
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55
WEEKS and weeks passed before my castle was finished.
I did not work at it all the time. Almost, every day I went out with my gun to see
what I could find. The very first day I saw a flock of goats. How glad I was!
But they were very shy and very swift. As soon as they saw me they ran away in
great fright.
After that, I saw them nearly every day. But it was hard to get near them.
One morning I saw an old goat feeding in the valley with a kid by her side. I crept
along among the rocks in such a way that she did not see me.
When I was close enough, I raised my gun and fired. The mother goat fell, being
killed at once by the shot.
It was a cruel deed, and I felt indeed sorry for the poor beast. But how else should
I find food for myself in that lonely place?
The kid did not run away. It stood quite still by its mother's side. When I picked