The prime horses of the most speed, courage, and bottom, however, are apt to break through and escape,

那些一流的马极擅奔跑，具有超凡勇气耐力，亦最有可能冲出包围圈逃之夭夭，

so that, in general, it is the second-rate horses that are taken.

因此，一般来说，人们捕获的多为品质稍劣的马匹。

Preparations were now made for a hunt of this kind.

现在开始为围猎做前期准备。

The pack horses were now taken into the woods and firmly tied to trees, lest in a rush of the wild horses they should break away.

一群马被牵进树林，紧紧地系在树上，以免等会野马冲过来，它们可能挣脱逃走。

Twenty-five men were then sent under the command of a lieutenant to steal along the edge of the valley within the strip of wood that skirted the hills.

在中尉率领下，一支二十五人的队伍悄悄沿着山谷边缘进发，山谷毗邻山脚下环山的条形状树林。

They were to station themselves about fifty yards apart, within the edge of the woods,

那二十五人大约以五十码间隔距离布好位置，藏身在树林边缘，

and not advance or show themselves until the horses dashed in that direction.

等到野马群朝他们这边飞奔过来，他们才冒头拦阻。

Twenty-five men were sent across the valley to steal in like manner along the river bank that bordered the opposite side,

另有二十五人穿越山谷，在其相应地段对面，沿河岸布阵，

and to station themselves among the trees.

亦藏身树林中间。

A third party of about the same number was to form a line,

另外再派出大体数目相当的人排成一列，

stretching across the lower part of the valley, so as to connect the two wings.

沿山谷低段延伸站开，以此连接两翼包围圈。

Beatte and our other half-breed, Antoine, together with the ever-officious Tonish,

比特还有另外一个混血儿骑手安东尼，再加上总爱管闲事的托尼斯，

were to make a circuit through the woods so as to get to the upper part of the valley, in the rear of the horses,

他们三人将穿越树林，到达山谷稍高地带，出现在野马群后面，

and drive them forward into the kind of sack that we had formed,

驱赶马群向前进入我们已设伏好的布袋，

while the two wings should join behind them and make a complete circle.

而其他两翼亦应与其呼应连接，形成一个完整的包围圈。