Loaded with all these necessary things (нагруженный всеми этими нужными вещами), I went round to the place where my canoe was hidden (я пошел к месту, где было спрятано мое каноэ). I found her half full of water (я нашел его наполовину заполненным водой), for she had been lying there neglected for a long time (так как оно лежало там пренебрегаемое = без ухода долгое время).
With much labor I bailed the water out of her (с большим трудом я вычерпал из него воду) and got her afloat (и поставил на воду; afloat — наплаву). Then I loaded my cargo into her (затем я погрузил на него мой груз), and hurried home for more (и поспешил домой за следующим/за бóльшим /грузом/).
My second load (вторым грузом/второй загрузкой) was a bag full of rice (была сумка, полная риса), the umbrella to set up over my head for shade (зонт, чтобы установить его над головой для тени), another jug of water (другой кувшин воды), a cheese (сыр), a bottle of milk (бутылка молока), and about two dozen barley cakes (и около двух дюжин ячменных лепешек).
All these I carried around to my canoe (все это я отнес на каноэ). If there were men on board the wreck they might be in need of food (если на борту потерпевшего крушение корабля были люди, они могли бы нуждаться в еде: «быть в нужде еды»).
When I had arranged everything in good order (когда я все привел в хороший порядок; to arrange — приводить в порядок, расставлять; устраивать, организовывать, подготавливать; принимать меры; range — ряд, линия), I started out (я отправился в путь).
I kept the canoe quite close to the shore (я держал каноэ довольно близко к берегу) until I had rounded the point past which the dangerous current flowed (пока я не обогнул мыс, мимо которого текло опасное течение; point — точка; острие, выступающая часть; мыс). Being then in smooth water (будучи затем в тихой: «гладкой» воде), I struck boldly out toward the wreck (я направился отважно к остову разбитого судна; to strike — ударять; to strike out — направляться; to strike out for the shore — направиться к берегу).
Soon, however, upon looking a little ahead of me (вскоре, тем не менее, глядя немного вперед передо мной), I saw the second current flowing in a great eddy past a long line of half-hidden rocks (я увидел второе течение, текущее большим водоворотом мимо длинной линии полускрытых /водой/ скал).
As I looked on these rapid currents (когда я смотрел на эти быстрые потоки), my heart began to fail me (мое сердце начало отказывать мне). I knew that if I should be driven into one of them, it would carry me a great way out to sea (я знал, что если бы я попал: «был загнан/отнесен» в один из них, он вынес бы меня далеко в море). It would carry me so far that I should never be able to get back again (он вынес бы меня так далеко, что я ни за что не смог бы приплыть обратно).
Yet I was determined to persevere in my venture (и все же я был настроен упорно продолжать мое путешествие; to persevere — упорно добиваться, стойко, упорно продолжать).
discover [dɪsˈkʌvǝ], burst [bǝ:st], lightning [ˈlaɪtnɪŋ], thunder [ˈƟʌndǝ], heard [hǝ:d], Bible [ˈbaɪbl], threw [Ɵru:], raincoat [ˈreɪnkǝut], caught [kɔ:t], distress [dɪsˈtres], anchor [ˈæŋkǝ], during [ˈdjuǝrɪŋ], firmly [ˈfǝ:mlɪ], many [ˈmenɪ], jug [ʤʌɡ], steer [ˈstɪǝ], dozen [ˈdʌz(ǝ)n], arrange [ǝˈreɪnʤ], rapid [ˈræpɪd], driven [ˈdrɪv(ǝ)n], determined [dɪˈtǝ:mɪnd], persevere [ˌpǝ:sɪˈvɪǝ]
I DISCOVER A WRECK ONE day in May a great storm burst upon the island. All day and far into the night the rain fell and the wind blew, the lightnings flashed, and the thunder rolled.
But I was used to such storms, and I minded it but little. I stayed home in my castle, and felt very thankful that I had a place so safe and dry and comfortable. I sat up quite late, reading my Bible by the light of a little lamp I had made, and thinking of my strange lot in life. Suddenly I heard a sound which I felt sure was the noise of a gun fired at sea.
I started up quickly. I threw on my raincoat and mounted to my lookout on the top of the great rock.
The rain had stopped and the wind was going down. It was now past midnight, and very dark.
A moment after I had reached my place there was a flash of light that caused me to stop and listen for another gun.
In a few seconds I heard it. It seemed to come from that part of the sea where I was once caught by the strong current and driven far out in my boat.
I knew at once that the shots were fired from some ship in distress. Perhaps she was being driven upon the shore by the wind and waves. Could I do anything to help the poor men on board?
With great labor and danger to myself I gathered some sticks and brush into a pile on the rock and set it on fire.
The wood was not dry, but when the fire was once kindled it blazed up fiercely and cast a light over all the rocks and trees about me.
I felt sure that if there were sailors on the ship, they could not help but see it. And no doubt they did see it, for I soon heard another gun.
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