The multitudes of wild pigeons in our woods are astonishing.

最终看来，至少对提议者来说，所有快乐希望已经毫无可能。

Indeed, after having viewed them so often, and under so many circumstances,

我的确经常在不少地方见过大批野鸽，即便现在，

I even now feel inclined to pause and assure myself that what I am going to relate is a fact.

也坚持认为不要轻率做出结论，以确保自己陈述皆为事实。

Yet I have seen it all, and that, too, in the company of persons who, like myself, were struck with amazement.

我和同伴都见过大批野鸽，彼此感受心同，那种形容毋庸说是身心震撼，难以言说的刻骨铭心。

In the autumn of 1813 I left my house at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, on my way to Louisville.

1813年秋天，离开坐落于俄亥俄河岸汉德森的家，我前去路易斯维尔。

In passing over the Barrens, a few miles beyond Hardinsburgh,

途中，当马车穿越一片荒原，驶过哈丁斯博格数英里后，

I observed the pigeons flying, from northeast to southwest, in greater numbers than I thought I had ever seen them before,

我看到天空中由东北往西南方向飞来的黑压压的鸽群，眼见鸽群数量愈来愈多，甚至超过我有生以来所见总和，

and feeling an inclination to count the flocks that might pass within the reach of my eye in one hour,

我心血来潮，突然想做次统计，计算一小时内目力所及范围内飞过的鸽群数，

I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed.

于是我便走下车，找处高坡坐下，开始用铅笔做记号，每见一个鸽群飞过就用圆点做个标注。

In a short time, finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured in in countless multitudes, I rose,

不一会儿，我便发现我的记录完全无济于事，鸽群铺天盖地不断涌来，成片成队委实难计其数。

and, counting the dots then put down, found that one hundred and sixty-three had been made in twenty-one minutes

我站立起来，数了数刚记下的标记，短短21分钟里，竟有163个鸽群在我眼前呼啸而过。

I traveled on, and still met more the farther I proceeded.

我接着往前走，愈发见到更多，

The air was literally filled with pigeons; the light of noonday was obscured as by an eclipse;

整座天空完全成为鸽子的飞翔世界。鸽群掠飞，宛如日食遮天蔽日，正午阳光亦随即黯淡起来。

and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose.

鸽群翼翅发出的嗡嗡翕动声，竟然让我产生昏昏欲睡的时空错觉。